Drunk On Love
by Muse of Fanfiction
Summary: Dionysus has everything in life but felt that there was still something missing. Ariadne has just lost everything in life because she had foolishly trusted the wrong person. When they cross paths on the island of Naxos, Fate has determined a destiny that the both of them have never expected to have together, and have them both experiencing a love like no other.
1. PART 1: Prologue

**_Part 1: Prologue_**

Dionysus

No more than ten mortal years ago, when I had finally come of age, I had been officialized as a god by my father, Zeus.

I was Dionysus, God of Wine, Ecstasy, Theater and Lunacy.

Father's wife, Hera, had not been pleased. She hated me because I was another of his bastard children, along with the rest of my Olympian half-siblings except Athena, Ares and Hephaestus. What's more, Hera had been the one who had led the death of my mother, who, I have been told, was a mortal woman named Semele that had been one of my father's many lovers.

My mother died while I was still in her womb, and my father saved me by taking me out of her body and carrying me to full-term within his form. When I had been born, he sent me away to the Earth to be raised by rain nymphs on Mount Nysa.

Because of this, I did not feel a connection to my late mother. I did not know what she looked like, how she sounded like, what was her likes, what was her dislikes, what was her personality. The only thing that I held about her was my chestnut brown hair and my bright hazel eyes, which, I had been told by Father, were the same color as her's. Thus, I felt no anger and sadness when I heard that it was Hera who brought her to her death. But at times, I wished I did, for I could not deny the fact that I yearned for a chance to meet my unknown mother. However, I knew that it was impossible, since she had now passed on to the afterlife.

Under the nymphs, I had been raised as a girl, seemingly to not incur Hera's knowledge that the illegitimate son of Zeus and Semele was alive. However, I grew out of my girly tendencies and started becoming more masculine around the same time I discovered the art of wine-making and the pleasure it brought. It was then I found my calling as god, and was proud that indeed I became the God of Wine.

I too was proud when my father, the great King of the Skies and the Heavens, had taken me back to Mount Olympus and officialized me as an Olympian – the most greatest of status among gods.

However, my beginnings as an Olympian did not start off well. Due to my addition into the circle, the number had totaled up to thirteen. This was bad as the number was considered unlucky, and a decision had to be made to keep the Olympians as an official Twelve. My father had a fight with his wife-queen about this; Zeus wanted to keep me in for he knew that I would be a god of greatness, but Hera, as expected, wanted me out.

In the end, Hestia, the Goddess of the Hearth and the Home and my aunt by Zeus, decided to step down from her seat among the circle and graciously presented it to me as mine, despite the fact that this meant that she had forfeited her title as a major Olympian and lowered herself to the status of a minor Olympian, like her brother Hades, my uncle who was the God-King of the Underworld. But she did not mind, telling me that she would rather see me play my part as a great god than see the council fall apart from this dispute. For her kindness and selflessness, I accepted the throne with thanks and gifted her a chalice of sweet honey wine as a token of appreciation.

So I had become the new, latest and last member of the Olympians, much to Hera's dismay. But it had managed to end the feud, and that was most important.

However, my beginnings as a god were much worse. I did not start off as a great god so easily like my older half-sister Athena or my older half-brother Apollo. No mortal would believe that there would be a new god, much less a god of the art of grape harvesting, or a god who had been mothered by a mortal woman. No mortal would worship me and I felt weak from the lack of worship.

As a result, I traveled far and wide to spread word of my name. Many have joined me when I proved to them my powers, but many scorned and attempted to make a fool of me. Those of the latter do not live today.

Over time, I had gained enough followers to keep me nourished with power. My followers and I celebrate in wine and the drunken pleasure it brought. Wine was a great gift to them. It liberated their stress, and I was the Liberator of stress who gave them such a gift. I reveled in the praises and their cries of joy and their gleeful laughter as they partook in merry-making in my name.

But still, they were not enough. I had to gain more. I had to continue spreading word of my name far and wide. There were still many lands for me to go to. There were still many chances for me to gain. I travel far and wide, aiming for that.

However, what I haven't mentioned was that I felt that something was missing in my life. I had that sort of feeling throughout my entire life. I had everything, except one thing. But what frustrated me was that I did not know what that one thing was, no matter how hard I try to do so. I thought, at first, that if I brushed it off and only think about the joy of wine and merry-making, I would be able to hide it.

But the feeling still stayed with me throughout, haunting me with the unknown knowledge of what I truly hoped to gain.

* * *

Ariadne

_What I had done was right… What I had done was right… What I had done was right…_

I knew that what I had done had caused me to betray all those who were dear to me. I had to betray my father, my mother and my siblings. I had to betray my honorary role as a princess of Crete.

But yet, I was not betraying it for misdeeds. In fact, in doing so, I had aided in saving the lives of future fourteen young Athenian lives – seven males and seven females – who could have met their end either by getting lost in the terrifying and confusing Labyrinth or by the monster that dwelt within it; the Minotaur. I had used my role as the guardian of the Labyrinth to help to discontinue the gruesome tradition of sacrificing these young lives to my monstrous half-brother.

I had done so by giving aid to Theseus, the prince of Athens who was one of the seven male tributes. From the first time I set my eyes upon him, he had an aura of a brave and strong warrior. I could even see it in his green-grey eyes that he held no fear of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur.

And because of those traits which were shown clearly in him, I fell in love.

As though blessed by Aphrodite herself, he seemed to reciprocate my feelings, for he came to me on the night before he was to venture into the Labyrinth, and he lay with me in a night of passion on my bed.

Overnight, he became the most important thing in the world to me.

I did not want him to die at the hands of the Minotaur, nor did I want him to get lost in the Labyrinth. Wanting so desperately to ensure that his life was safe, I discarded all the sworn oaths and promises that I had made to my father Minos and broke into the weaponry vault and stole Theseus' sword, the only weapon he had brought with him to Crete. And then, I went to Daedalus, my tutor and my father's royal craftsmen, who was the great creator of the Labyrinth itself.

After hearing what I had to say, wise Daedalus only gave me a clue of thread, and I knew.

Just a few minutes before the fourteen tributes were to be sent into the Labyrinth, I came to Theseus in secret. I discretely gave him his sword and the clue of thread and whispered to him in secret of the plan. In response, he went down on his knees and kissed my hands, swearing to me that when he finally emerged from the Labyrinth, he would take me with him back to Athens to make me his bride.

I smiled at the promise and gave him a kiss on his lips as a wish of good luck. He did not return the kiss; I suspected it was because of fear and anxiety.

When he had hidden his weapon and the clue in his chiton, he rejoined the several tributes and entered the Labyrinth.

A few hours later, Theseus emerged out of the Labyrinth with all the other tributes. All of them were unharmed. There was blood on his chiton, and he threw the decapitated head of a horned bull at the feet of my father.

The whole of Crete went into frenzy at the knowledge that the powerful and fearsome Minotaur had been slain.

Father was not pleased. He knew that if there was no more Minotaur, then he wouldn't be able to gain compensation in the form of the fourteen Athenian lives for the death of my older brother Androgeus, who had been killed by the Athenians before I was even born. He raged even stronger than the storming winds that had claimed the lives of many sailors.

In no time, Father had found out that Theseus had his father's sword with him when he ventured into the Labyrinth and that he used the clue of long thread to mark his way in and out of the maze. Father took his rage out on me, having suspected that I had played some part in Theseus' success in the Labyrinth since the man had been empty-handed when he entered and that no one had guided the tributes to the starting point except me, the Labyrinth's guardian.

Father threatened my life, telling me that I would play dearly for causing the downfall of a Cretan tradition.

As a result, I was so scared for my life that I ran away from home, taking nothing with me except the clothes I wore and my younger sister, Phaedra, who I felt was the only sibling I could not bear to be apart from. Theseus led me away from the chaos in the palace to his ship that was adorned with black sails.

His ship sailed away without a moment's hesitation. My eyes never left the sight of Crete, my birthplace and my home. In my heart, a twinge of pain could be felt at the thought that I could never return without incurring Father's wrath.

However, the thought of being Theseus' bride in Athens helped to numb the pain slightly. Every night, as we got further and further away from Crete and closer and closer to Athens, Theseus would make love to me, further strengthening our bond. I was glad; he was the man that I had sworn my whole life to; the man who I would be spending the rest of my life with.

At times, he lulled me to sleep with words of me being his bride and a good queen of Athens. That always never failed to make me smile.

What I had done was right.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, hello!

Welcome to _**Drunk On**** Love**_! I must tell you that I am very excited, because this is the first time I am venturing out of my usual Hades & Persephone or Artemis fanfictions, and now writing a Dionysus fanfiction!

First; let me tell you how I got inspiration for the story. One day, while going through my options of next projects, I was listening to _Drunk On Love_ by Rihanna and, for some reason, I immediately thought of Ariadne. As a result, my mind started getting to work, and I have planned out the entire story!**  
**

Second; let me point out to you that I am trying a new writing style. Unlike my other fanfictions that are usually a mixture of first-person and third-person, I've decided to use a first-person POV for both the main characters, which are Dionysus and Ariadne. This is to allow you guys a clearer look on what the both of them are thinking, which might make things easier yet more fun to red. However! There are other characters in this fanfiction that too will have first-person moments, somewhere in the later chapters.

Third; the story will be in two major parts and the epilogue.

Fourth; I will be following the update plan I did for _**Promises**_. This means that updates are every Monday and Friday. Chapters may seem short to some in the beginnings, but I'll try to make sure they're longer in later times.

Fifth; I hope that you guys will enjoy this as much as I do. It's my first time writing a full-length fanfiction about a character I have never ever written before, so I really hope that I can do well! Support from you guys are, of course, very appreciated!

So, see you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	2. PART 1: Chapter 1

_**Part 1: Chapter 1**_

Dionysus

When I felt my eyes slowly opening, I could feel both my mind and body were still heavy with sleep and groggy from my heavy drinking the previous night. But as soon as my eyes fully opened to see the dark violet silk thatching of my tent, I could immediately feel the burdening feelings disappear from my body.

Letting out a sound that seemed to be a cross between a sigh and a groan, I languidly sat up from my pillowed sleeping mats, stretching my body as it slowly started to fully awaken. I brought a hand to my head and ran my fingers through my hair. Although I felt that my hair was messy and disheveled, my fingers glided smoothly through the strands.

Suddenly, I heard a soft moan come from beside me, and I then turned my head to the side to find the sleeping figure of a girl slowly waking up.

The girl – a Maenad, to be exact – pushed her messy brown hair away from her face and slowly opened her bright green eyes, which immediately came in contact with mine. At that moment, she then began to giggle, which then transitioned into full-on laughter. She laughed so hard and so maniacally that she even clutched her naked chest as though her sides were hurting from the power of her giggles.

Immediately, I realized that it was actually the strong after-effects of potent wine that were making her laugh. Her mind was still fogged up with hazy drunkenness, having not sobered yet even over the night.

I stayed quiet and waited a while for the Maenad to stop, internally admitting that, although it was considered normal, her manic laughter was irritating me a bit, since I had just woken up. When she did (_about a few minutes later)_, she too sat up and looked at me with a dazed look in her eyes and a big tired smile. She said nothing. She just smiled at me.

"What?" I asked questionably with a raised eyebrow.

In a high-pitched that made me wince a bit, she exclaimed, "My lord Dionysus! Indeed it was a most exciting night of passion that we had shared last night! Truly, I am honoured to be blessed with the chance of being in your bed!" Licking her lips sloppily, she shrieked, "The sex was even better with the wine!"

Hearing that, I shut my eyes and let out a low sigh as I fully recalled what had happened the night before. My retinue and I had been enjoying an extravagant feast with lots of music, dancing, and, of course, wine. And as usual, I overindulged in the wines that I had harvested from the power within my own bare hands and other strong hard liquors, and thus got so drunk that I lost consciousness when the wine had pulled me into its high ecstasy. Each time I fell into drunken haze, the world around me would disappear, and whatever actions I committed would not be caused by me in clear mind but by me in drunken stupor. I would be completely submissive to the ecstasy, letting it control my entire body.

And, as usual, I woke up from the wild night of enjoyment with an unknown female, usually one of the Maenads in my retinue, who would be naked and in my bed under strewn sheets.

Bringing a hand to rub the back of my neck, I simply replied, "Well, I'm glad that you enjoyed it…" I had wanted to say the Maenad's name, but it was then I realized that I had absolutely no idea what it was. But I did not really fret over it so much, since I had already slept with so many unknown women in the past and just frequently before.

The brown-haired Maenad then grinned widely as she threw her arms around me and buried her face into the part where my neck met my shoulder. She nuzzled her nose onto my flesh and I could feel her breathe in the scent of my skin. She started laughing again, but this time it was more of bubbling giggles instead of the crazed, seemingly psychotic laughter from just a few minutes ago.

"Perhaps… you should leave now and join your sisters…" I told her nonchalantly, keeping still as she continued to embrace me tightly and inhale the perfume of my skin.

As though she had just touched fire, she immediately recoiled from me as she exclaimed in a tone of drunken and erratic shock, "Oh yes! I must tell them about how ecstatic you were in bed! They are sure to be jealous of me!" She then cackled, but then, as she attempted to push herself up from my disarrayed sleeping mats, she said in a more somber tone, "But some of them had slept with you before and their stories had made me jealous…"

I stayed in my sitting position as I watched the Maenad drowsily rise into an unstable standing position and start stumbling her way to the flaps of my huge tent that acted as the door, not caring for the fact that she was completely naked and all her womanly assets were revealed for all to see.

It was only when she tripped and landed on all fours in front of the tent flaps – due to being unable to balance herself properly in her drunk stupor – did I get up from my sleeping mats – not caring myself that I too was completely naked – and helped her up and to the outside.

When the rays of sunlight bathed my entire form in its warmth, I saw that the most of my retinue were up and about, some too wearing absolutely nothing and freely walking around in the nude. Most of them had already sobered up from the previous night's extravaganza and was now performing their work around the camp like collecting water from the stream nearby, cooking the meats of hunted game and some even playing instruments to create a catchy melody. In the midst of working servants, I caught sight of a few that were as less sober as the Maenad I was leading out.

Among my people, there were also many wildcats roaming around. I too was the patron of wild cats – tigers, panthers, leopards and all other sorts. With outsiders, they were ferocious predators that were a force to be dealt with and were one of the most dangerous creatures of the wild. But with me and my people, they were as tame as house cats, some even coming to me often to just shower me in feline affections.

When my retinue had caught sight of me, they immediately bowed and shouted out their various 'Good day to you, my lord' and 'Good afternoon, great Dionysus'. A few approached me to take away the drunken Maenad while another few approached with a long drape of dark red silk to clothe me with.

"A wonderful party last night, my lord," one of the satyrs around me commented with a grateful smile as another Maenad was wrapping the silk around my waist. "Everyone was at the height of things! The wine that you had blessed us with only made things better! But you are the great God of Wine and Ecstasy! Of course you would have made the feast a much joyous one!"

When the silk was wrapped well enough to cover my manhood and the tail of it was thrown over my shoulder, I grinned and replied jollily, "It only pleases me that my followers are able to partake in the joys of wine and ecstasy along with me. Our bond grows stronger and stronger in that way!"

"Well said, Lord Dionysus," one of the Maenads who clothed me replied with a jubilant smile.

When I had been draped with the red silk, I dismissed my servants and started on my walk. It was a routine for me to take a walk in the forests after waking up. It helped to refresh me a lot.

I walked away into the forest that surrounded the clearing my followers and I were situated in. As I walked further and further into the dense vegetation, the sounds of my retinue and the music being played slowly faded away into nothingness. When I was so deep in the forest that all I could hear was the sounds of its creatures and the rustling of the green leaves in the light breeze, I let out a long sigh.

I sighed because of the feeling that had been plaguing me for a while now. Or more specifically, a few years.

When I had seen the Maenad sleeping right next to me, I felt unsatisfied. Once again, she was just a woman who would only spend one moment with me before leaving. As a god, I shouldn't have minded this. My older half-brothers Ares, Apollo and Hermes took many one-time lovers. Even my father Zeus did, and my uncle Poseidon of the Seas. It would be a lie if I said that I too hadn't taken any lovers before forgetting them for another.

But yet, I felt a bit unsatisfied that I didn't have a woman that seemed dear to me. Ares had his lover Aphrodite (who I had slept with once) and his daughters by her, though he doesn't have a tendency to show his love for them. Apollo had his older twin sister Artemis and his mother Leto, both of who he was _so _protective of that I was sure he would kill anyone who would speak of just one word of insult about them. Hermes was on good terms with everyone that he felt that all were dear to him. Even Zeus, in some (seemingly non-existent) way, held his wife Hera dear in his heart, as did Poseidon, who loved his wife Amphitrite dearly despite his many affairs.

Maybe that was the empty feeling inside me. But it was difficult for me to quench my desire for a dear woman because I had not yet found a woman who I could consider dear to me.

It shouldn't have been too difficult, but it surprisingly was. And this was why it frustrated me so. I tried many times to force myself to love a woman who would randomly be in my bed, but the feeling never came.

Eventually, I gave it up, thinking it as a waste of my time to find a dear woman instead of focusing on gaining more followers into my cult. Although, I will admit that I hoped that, one day, it could really happen.

But today, like all the other days before, did not seem like that day.

* * *

Ariadne

When I felt my eyes slowly opening, I could immediately feel a very strong warmth all around me. It came from my surroundings, and it bathed all over me body from high above. Even when my eyes had not fully opened, I felt confused. This was not the warmth that I felt in Theseus' makeshift bedchambers on his ship.

This felt like the warmth of the bright afternoon sun.

In a flash, my eyes flew opened. And true to what I had suspected, the first thing I saw was the bright blue sky that spread out far and wide above me, adorned with white puffy clouds that provided some blockage from the brightness of the golden sun that acted as the centerpiece of the sky.

All of a sudden, I became aware of the rest of my surroundings. I could feel a soft breeze flying all around me, straying some strands of my pale blonde hair onto my face. I could see the waves of the ocean crashing upon the land. I could hear the sizzling of the sand as the seawater came in contact with it. I could smell the refreshing ocean breeze, all salty yet with a tangy scent. I could feel the grains of sands on my fingertips and all under my body.

My confusion rose greatly, and I sat up and looked around in panic.

All I could see around me was a beach that stretched far into the distance. In front of me was the ocean; dark and clear blue that seemed to stretch into the farther distances. Behind me was a forest that seemed big and dense; all I could see in it was more trees.

But I did not see any ship or any people.

And I especially did not see Theseus.

I sat up immediately, looking around in frantic as I called out in panic, "Theseus?"

Not seeing him appear when I called for him only helped to heighten my panic. I got off the sand and immediately began to walk around, looking for somewhere to start looking. I did not recognize this place last night. The last thing I remembered of the previous day was falling asleep in Theseus' arms in his makeshift bedchambers after making love, as usual.

I did not remember coming to an unknown island and falling asleep on an unknown beach.

"Theseus?!" I called out again, my voice louder and more panicky this time. "Theseus, where are you?!"

I called his name a few more times, but still there was no answer. Desperate, I tried a different approach and began to call out for my sister.

"Phaedra?!" I called out at the top of my voice. "Phaedra, are you there?! Where are you?! Phaedra?!"

Like when I called out for Theseus, I received no reply.

I became so afraid. I started to panic even more. I felt so confused and so utterly lost.

I continued to run along the beach, calling out the names of my lover and my sister.

* * *

Dionysus

I was just about to pluck an apple to eat when I heard something.

It sounded like a voice, and one of a female. It was loud and shrill. It kept on calling for the names 'Theseus' and 'Phaedra'. The minute I heard it, I immediately noticed how panicked and frightened it sounded, as though it was lost and had absolutely idea where to go or what to do.

I became curious and started to follow the direction that the voice was coming from. As I walked carefully through the trees and paid no attention to the creatures that roamed around me, I wondered what had happened to the female owner of the voice. Immediately, I wanted to know

With each step I took, the voice sounded louder and louder and clearer and clearer. The panic and desperation in the voice became more definite and my curiosity became more increasing with each passing second.

Just then, I could hear the sounds of ocean waves crashing upon sand, and the voice nearby.

I pushed apart two flexible branches that were blocking my view, and finally set my sights upon the owner of the voice.

I gasped.

* * *

Author's Note:

I'm glad that some of you are really excited for this story. I am too, and I can't stop writing the upcoming chapters in advance!

I must tell some of you that know the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne very well that I would be making some of my own changes to the story. I will not change the story entirely, but I will be adding a few of my own created parts. I would notify in the author's note if a certain event had happened or not.

Anyway! Ariadne had woken up all confused and worried! What had happened to her? And what exactly was Dionysus thinking when he first saw her?

Find out on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	3. PART 1: Chapter 2

_**Part 1: Chapter 2**_

Ariadne

I heard a gasp coming from somewhere near me in the forest, and I immediately turned my head in the direction, only to see nothing. Following the sound of that audible gasp, there were no more noises except for the sounds of the breeze and the waves.

However, I caught movement in the branches, as though someone had pushed them aside before letting them go back to its original position.

I felt my heart start to race in fear and anxiety.

"Theseus?" I said fearfully, willing my feet to inch closer to where I saw the branches moving. I received no reply, and the pace of my heart quickened. "Phaedra?"

Standing at what I hoped was a safe distance from the branches, I looked carefully past the trees and tried to catch sight of anything that could have caused the branches to move. But there was nothing that I could see except more trees.

"H-Hello?" I called out, my voice quivering all scared and uncertain. "Is… anyone there?"

No response came and my heart continued to race. Frightened, I forced myself to back away from the trees as far away as possible.

_Probably just a small animal… _I told myself in reassurance as I resumed walking along the sea in hopes of finding Theseus or Phaedra or the ship or anyone who would be so kind as to help me out in my predicament. I could not fight off the seed of terror that I would not be able to find anything or anyone on this unknown island that seemed inhabited to me.

_Don't worry, Ariadne … You'll find some help soon … Just pray to the gods… You'll find some help…_

Oh, how I really hoped that was true.

* * *

Dionysus

She was beautiful.

Regardless of the several meters that separated the both of us, I could clearly see how the girl looked like from my hiding place thanks to my much-enhanced sense of sight.

I could clearly see the definitions of her pretty face that had a pair of beautiful warm grey eyes that held flecks of moss green, a dainty nose and rosy lips. Her lovely face was framed by her silky-straight pale blonde hair that fell quite messily to the curve of her hips.

I could not tear my eyes away from hers, and I could not help but notice the look of fear that was clear in her beautiful eyes and etched onto every feature of her face – from her perfectly arched eyebrows that were pulled into a confused frown to her pursed lips that were quivering.

But one thing that I was absolutely certain about her was the fact that, despite her exquisite beauty, she was a mortal.

My gasp at the sight of her had been from amazement and awe, and it had been loud enough to gain her attentions. She had heard it, and she had immediately turned her head in panic in my direction. Impulsively, I let go of the branches and hid behind a tree, standing perfectly still.

I heard her call out in her terrified voice, "Theseus? Phaedra?"

Again, she called out for those names. I began to wonder who those people were to her. Maybe they were her family members or her friends or her acquaintances. But I did not ponder on that thought for long as I did not think of that as so important. Instead, I began to wonder to myself why did I go into hiding when she nearly saw me.

"H-Hello? Is… anyone there?" I heard her question the trees, her voice still quaking with fear and anxiety.

At that moment, I wanted to reveal myself to her, to answer to her question that there was someone; me. I wanted to see her face-to-face, to have a more clearer look of her beauty. Maybe I could even get to know why she looked and sounded so scared, and offer her some help if needed.

But before I could decide to step out of my hiding place and reveal myself to her, I stopped myself with a single thought.

_Don't do it yet… She's too frightened… A sudden appearance by you could only make her feel even worse…_

Before I could even get myself to reconsider my choices, I heard her backing away and walking off into the distance. I waited a few more seconds before I got out of my hiding place and peeked through a gap in the branches to see that she indeed was walking off, her arms crossed protectively in front of her chest and her head turning in every direction ever so frequently, trying to find something that I was sure she could never find.

When she was a safe distance far away, I stepped out of the forest and continued to gaze after her. As I looked at her moving form, I could only think to myself one thing.

Who was she?

* * *

Ariadne

I was lost… So lost… So very lost…

I didn't know where I was… I didn't know where to go… I didn't know what to do… I didn't know what to think…

No, let me rephrase that last part; I didn't know what to _properly _think. All that was in my mind was Theseus and where on Earth was he and his ship. Why wasn't he nearby when I awoke on that unknown beach? Why did he not answer to my calls of his name? Why did he leave me alone there?

My mind started creating all sorts of terrible possibilities of what had happened to me.

Maybe the ship had been attacked the previous night and I was totally unconscious when the attackers kidnapped me before leaving me alone on this island.

Or maybe the gods had magically transported me from the ship to this island for a purpose.

Or… or…

I gulped in uncertainty at the thought that came to my mind next.

_What if… What if Theseus had… abandoned me?_

NO! He couldn't have done that! Theseus would never do that to me! He would never abandon me on some island and run off! He promised himself to me, and I was so very sure that he would keep his promise! How dare I think that he would abandon me?! How could I think of such a thing?! How could my mind come up with such a horrible possibility that was impossible?!

_Maybe he's searching for me now… _I tried to reassure myself the best that I could. _Maybe he's searching high and low for you right now… Maybe he has sent his men to find you and bring you back to his arms…_

That thought made me feel slightly better, and hope swelled even more within my heart with each step I took along the beach. I started to take deep breaths to calm down my rising far and anxiety and just started to clear my mind out of nothing but the thought of Theseus and the feeling of safety within his arms.

I had to keep hoping and praying. That was the only thing I could do now.

* * *

Dionysus

Throughout the day, I sat languidly on my wooden, gold-plated throne that was decorated with healthy twining and twirling stems of vibrant green grapevine leaves and was cushioned with the skinned furs of leopards. In my hand was my symbolic staff, the Thrysus; a golden giant fennel staff covered in ivy vines and leaves and wound with taeniae and then topped with a golden pine cone. At my feet were two black panthers who were just lounging lazily, one with its head laying comfortably beside my sandalled feet and the other just watching the on-going dance performance taking place.

A group of Maenads were dancing in front of me to entertain me until nightfall, when the time for the real frenzies to begin. Nearby, satyrs played musical instruments expertly to create a catchy and lively tune for the Maenads to dance to. Around the performers, my other many followers were clapping and laughing and shouting out cheers, all clearly enjoying themselves.

One of the dancers was the Maenad who had been with me this morning. Now, she was more sober and clearly was not experiencing any more of wine's after-effects. She danced as freely and wildly as her other dancing sisters, allowing herself to let go of control and just let her body move on its own to the rhythm of the loud music.

Every so often, she would catch my eye and give me a cheeky smile, sometimes accompanied with a wink as well. However, I did not return her gestures, for my mind was occupied with thoughts of that mortal girl on the beach.

Ever since I had returned from my afternoon walk, I couldn't get her out of my mind. I was still full of curiosity about who she was, what she was doing, what had happened to her and why did she look so lost and afraid and confused. I also started to wonder who those people that she was calling out for were; the ones named Theseus and Phaedra.

With each passing minute, my curiosity about her started to become stronger and stronger. But I did not know why it was so. I have seen mortal women before; had bedded a few, in fact. But none of them had left an impression upon me like this one, and I really do wonder why.

But all of a sudden, my thoughts were suddenly interrupted when the music abruptly stopped, the noises were halted, and a new voice spoke from high above me.

"Having fun, Dionysus?"

Hearing that very familiar voice, I trailed my eyes upwards to the god that was floating high above me, thanks to the golden winged headband he wore and his winged sandals on his feet. The god had pale blonde hair that was like soft sunshine and spring green eyes that fitted his bright and cheerful personality.

I stood up from my throne and spread my arms wide with welcome. "Hermes!" I greeted my half-brother with a broad smile. "A pleasure to have you here!"

I was glad that I could see Hermes, my half-brother. I had a close bond with him as both a brother and a friend. When I was younger, I found out that he had been the one to take me away from Mount Olympus to Mount Nysa so that I would be safe from Hera's wrath. For that, I felt absolute gratitude to him, thinking of him as my savior.

I immediately gestured for a nearby Maenad to bring a chalice of wine for our new guest, and she obeyed immediately, running off to one of the many tents where the wine was kept. While I waited for her return, I announced loudly to my followers, "Everyone! Let us hail Hermes, my half-brother and one of my many good friends of Mount Olympus!"

In unison, all of them called out loudly, "Hail Hermes!"

The Maenad returned after a short time with a serving tray holding two silver chalices of sweet red wine. She handed one to Hermes and the other to me, and the both of us clunk our chalices together before downing the sweet liquid at the same time.

Both of us finished at the same time, and Hermes licked his lips whilst I rubbed away the excess liquid from my lips with the back of my hand. I took his hand and brought it up as show, and everyone cheered before returning to their enjoyment.

Taking a seat back on my throne, I inquired, "So what brings you here, Hermes? Surely, it must be the fun and enjoyment that my parties radiate, yes? Do stay here and enjoy yourself if you wish."

Holding his chalice for a different Maenad to fill with wine from a bronze jug, Hermes replied with a chuckle, "I wish I could say that, but unfortunately no. I am just flying around here on my own leisure as I take a break from my duties. Being a messenger is hard work, you know? You have to be out and about every single day. Anyway, I heard music and noises around here, and I could only guess that it was you."

I shrugged. "Ah, yes. Well, it is indeed my specialty to make noises," I laughed. "Anyway, enough about me. Any interesting sights around the island?"

Sitting on the armrest of my throne while watching the Maenads dancing in frenzy, he nonchalantly replied, "A ship with black sails was sailing in the direction away from the island. When I looked at it out of curiosity, I saw that the one who owns it is a bastard son of our Uncle Poseidon who is of Athens. This one recently became a big name as 'The Slayer of the Minotaur', both in the mortal world and on Mount Olympus. He apparently took down the legendary Minotaur of Crete, thus ending the island's tradition of sending fourteen Athenian lives to die in the great Labyrinth."

I had very vague knowledge of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur, which was the half-human half-bull monster that dwelt within it. I only had limited knowledge of the Cretan King's tradition of demanding fourteen young Athenian lives to die in the Labyrinth – either by getting lost in it or getting killed by the monster itself – in order to compensate the life of a loved one he had lost. It was a bloodthirsty tradition, but I didn't mind it too much; considering the fact that I knew how bloodthirsty the mortals could sometimes get.

"This one sounds interesting," I said, not truly giving a damn so much about this bastard son of my uncle. But I only paid attention for sake of conversation with Hermes. "What is his name, this great hero?"

Hermes tapped the rim of his chalice to his lips, trying to remember what the name of the man we were discussing about was. I waited patiently as I swished around the refilled wine in my chalice.

Suddenly, he snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "Ah, yes! His name is Theseus."

When I heard the name being said by Hermes, it was then my attentions on the conversation grew tenfold, as I exclaimed all of a sudden, "What?!"

Hermes clearly had not been expecting my reaction, for he looked at me with a confused and surprised expression. "Why did you react like that?" he questioned me before taking a sip of his wine. "You sound as though you had just found out something shocking."

Indeed, this was something shocking. I just found out that this man that he and I were talking about had the name of the person that mortal girl on the beach had been calling out for. I'd be damned if that person and the man we were talking about now wasn't the same person. My curiosity about this Theseus grew, and I knew that I had to know who he was to that mortal girl.

"No, I'm just surprised," I told him, clearing my throat as I regained my composure.

"And why's that?" Hermes inquired.

Should I tell him? Should I tell him about the mortal girl? At first, I thought that I shouldn't, because the matter concerning her did not seem too important and just too insignificant to bring up. But then again, like I said, the matter concerning her did not seem too important, so why should I just keep it hidden?

So I did tell him.

"This morning, I saw a girl walking along the beach of this island. She was a mortal, and she was very pretty."

"Hmm… Do tell," Hermes said with a cheeky smirk, starting to float languidly around me.

I rolled my eyes, but continued on anyway. "So, I stayed hidden and watched her. She looked completely lost, and really frightened. I could see it in her facial expression that she did not know where she was or what to do. The only thing she did was call out for two people, whose names were 'Theseus' and 'Phaedra'."

"Oooohhhh…" Hermes remarked, clearly getting interested in what I was telling him.

"I don't know, but I've become very curious about her," I admit to her as I continued to swirl around the wine in my chalice. "I want to know who she is, and what has happened to her. But I find it difficult to approach her because she looked so scared and I don't want to scare her any further with my presence. Heck, she even seemed frightened of the trees."

Hermes floated on his back with one hand rubbing his chin in thought while the other cradled his chalice in between his fingertips. He seemed to be thinking of something to do, if I was not wrong.

"Perhaps…" he started, deep in thought. "Perhaps I can help you find out?"

* * *

Author's Note:

Introducing our friendly Hermes! Gosh, I've always loved writing about him! :)

Oooohhhh! Looks like Hermes has given Dionysus an interesting offer! Will Dionysus accept? And what of Ariadne? How does she fare?

Find out in the next chapter on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	4. PART 1: Chapter 3

_**Part 1: Chapter 3**_

Dionysus

I looked up from my wine at him with wide eyes. "Really?" I asked incredulously.

Looking at me and taking another swig of his wine, Hermes said with a shrug, "Why not? I don't think it would be that difficult to find out. Besides, it could be something fun for me to do while I perform my duties."

"You would do that for me?" I questioned, raising an eyebrow.

He turned his head to look at me with a smile. "Of course, I would," he told me. "Anything for a brother."

I felt glad to hear that; glad to know that Hermes was alright with doing what he suggested, just for me. I brought my chalice forward, and he responded by clinking it with his.

"Thank you, Hermes," I said to him graciously. He raised his chalice to me and downed the final few drops of the wine before giving the empty cup to a satyr servant who was passing by.

"I suppose I should get on with my promise. Wouldn't want to keep you waiting now, would I?" he remarked cheekily with a wink.

In reply, I simply rolled my eyes. However, one of the panthers at my feet saw my 'amusement' at Hermes' comment, and simply smacked the floating god in the face with its tail. Hermes yelped, and I laughed heartily.

"Good girl," I said proudly as I leaned down to scratch the scruff of the panther's neck affectionately. She simply turned her head to lick my hand and let out a yawn.

"Hmph," Hermes snorted as he rubbed his left cheek, where the panther's tail had hit him. "Insolent rascal…" he muttered, but was stopped short when the panther turned its head to lock its bright yellow eyes on him and growled lowly in warning. She clearly did not like what my half-brother had just called her.

"Calm down, girl," I told the big feline, patting her head comfortably. "Hermes does not mean you any harm."

The panther gave one last critical look to the floating god before turning away to gaze at its sleeping partner at the other side of my feet. Hermes took this opportunity to float higher above, saying to me, "Alright. I better be going now. Come back to Mount Olympus soon, alright?"

At that moment, I've thought about Mount Olympus, and sighed. I won't lie about missing the place, since it was where most of my Olympian family members and close friends resided. But I knew that I needed to continue gathering more followers here on the mortal lands. Maybe when I think that I have had enough, and maybe when I needed a break from my Bacchic rituals, which I don't suppose I do anytime soon, I'll come back to the palace on the great mountain. But until then, Mount Olympus had to wait.

"Maybe soon," I tell him. "Now go. Find out about that girl for me."

Hermes gave me a playful salute and a wave goodbye before flying off into the sky and disappearing among the white puffy clouds. As I looked up to watch him off, it was then I realized that the sky was turning pinkish, symbolizing the day's transition into night.

I stood up from my throne, announcing to everyone to prepare for the nightly celebrations. Everyone cheered in excitement, immediately getting to work. I sat back down on my throne and watched.

My mind full of that mortal girl once again.

* * *

Ariadne

I could not tell the time. But if I could decipher from the Sun's position in the sky, thanks to this certain knowledge implanted on me by Daedalus from when I was younger, I could tell that it would be about an hour or slightly more to nightfall.

The worry that had been implanted into me since when I first woke up was by now shrouding my entire heart and form. I couldn't even relax, no matter how hard I tried. Relaxation was now an impossible feat for me to achieve. Everywhere I turned, I kept on thinking that something would jump out and attack me, but thankfully, nothing has happened so far.

I had stayed on the sandy path along the sea, trying hard to find any sign of civilization or Theseus' ship, which was the one thing I was really hoping to find. But with each second that passed, and the more there were no signs of Theseus' ship, my mind plagued me with horrible thoughts.

And… I was starting to realize that… maybe Theseus did abandon me.

I tried so hard to quash that horrible thought, trying to convince myself that it wasn't true; that he didn't. But the more I tried hard to fruitlessly convince myself that, the more I realized that it seemed like that.

Why?

First; if I had been kidnapped, I would have been awake to notice it. There would have been forceful movements and shouts which would sure to have awaken me from slumber. But because I had not felt any on the previous night, that meant that whoever had left me on the island had been gentle... and careful.

Second; the ship had been heavily guarded by some of the most well-trained warriors of Athens. They made sure that everybody that was on the ship _stayed _on the ship. Theseus himself made sure that they didn't leave any man or woman behind, unless it was on his command to do so.

Third; for the past few days, Theseus had been distancing himself from me. When I talked to him, he wouldn't pay attention. When I held his hand, he would not grasp back. When we made love, he would finish quickly and then go to sleep. He didn't seem to pay me so much attention anymore. He didn't seem to want me near him anymore. He didn't seem to regard me as so important anymore.

But I had been so immersed of the thought of being with him that I had failed to realize these details until now; until it was already completely _too _late.

"How could he…" I muttered to myself, feeling tears burn the back of my eyes and starting to well in them. "How could he do this to me…"

There was no reply to my question, since I was all alone on this lonely beach on this unknown island. But at that moment, I was glad that I was all alone, since nobody could look at me while I screamed into the air.

"**HOW COULD YOU, THESEUS?! HOW COULD YOU?! I HELPED YOU! I SAVED YOUR LIFE! I GAVE UP EVERYTHING I HAD, JUST FOR YOU! AND THIS IS HOW YOU REPAY ME?! THIS IS WHAT YOU DO TO ME?! WHY?!**"

As I screamed into the skies, as though hoping that he would hear my words, I felt unlike myself. I could feel tears burning my eyes, blocking my vision of the sky above. Some streamed down my cheeks, gathering at the point of my chin before dripping down onto the soft sand below my feet. My hands clenched into tight fists at my sides, trying to restrain myself from hitting anything out of anger. I could feel my whole body tremble, threatening to break myself into pieces from the unbearable pain and anger that was building up in my aching heart.

Why? Why did he leave me? Why did he abandon me on this island when all I had ever been to him since the first day I met him was loyal and faithful? He made me fall in love with him when he bedded me the night before he was sent to the Labyrinth. He made me defy my father and my sworn oath as the Labyrinth's guardian because I wanted to save his life. He filled my head with false hopes and dreams when he told me that he would take me back to Athens to make me his bride.

And he did one more wrong to me by leaving me on this island without Phaedra, my precious younger sister.

I felt so completely at loss at this very moment. In just a matter of days, I had lost everything; my family, my home, my title…. everything! And because I had been so foolish to be so smitten by his appearance and so dumb to willingly open my legs for him! I should have known better than to trust a man that I did not know at all!

Here I was, the Princess – or more painfully, the _former _Princess – of Crete and the guardian of the Labyrinth, stranded on an island I did not know, swindled out of everything because I so stupidly thought that I was in love with the Prince of Athens.

Feeling the consequences of my foolishness and stupidity finally set upon me, I fell to my knees and crumpled to the sand, allowing pain and anguish to take over me completely.

* * *

Dionysus

The ecstasy was so high, it felt so heavy in the air.

Everywhere around me, everyone was in frenzy. There were some that were downing down their umpteenth chalice of wine or some other hard liquor. There were some that were just dancing so wildly, giving up control of their bodies to the wine and music. There were even some that were mating, already too high in the frenzy to care that they could be seen.

However, I did not feel like myself tonight.

I was worried at first when I realized that my body was not reacting to the ecstasy like it usually did. My mind too was not giving in to the effects of the wine. Instead, my entire being was resisting, clouding my mind with other thoughts instead of the high ecstasy.

And by 'other thoughts', I meant thoughts about that mortal girl.

Seriously! She hasn't left my mind since this morning, when I had first laid my eyes upon her. I could _not _forget her terrified beautiful face, her lost expression and her confused grey-green eyes. I couldn't fight the urge to want to know about her and her predicament. My curiosity about her only grew more and more by the minute, with every single thought about her that appeared in my mind.

I felt that I should not be here in this clearing, dancing and drinking to my heart's content. Instead, I felt like I should be finding that mortal girl, and get to know her myself.

I tried to reason with myself. I told myself that Hermes would soon come back bearing with him information about that girl for me. That way, I wouldn't need to get to know her by actually coming back to her. I could satisfy my curiosity about her than move on.

But yet, I felt like I could not wait for Hermes to do that. I felt like I needed to do it myself, and as soon as possible.

I really had no idea why I would consider this important, but I just do. I pitied the girl; seeing how lost, confused and terrified she was made me want to help her. And I knew that if I didn't act now, I would miss the chance.

Without a moment's hesitation, I stopped dancing and walked through the crowd out of the clearing. A few of my followers looked at me in confusion, most probably wondering why in Tartarus was I leaving in the middle of a frenzy, since I have _never _done so.

But most of them were already too into the high to notice my disappearing presence.

As I made my way to the beach, which was the first place that came into my mind, I hoped with all of my heart that I could find the girl with ease.

* * *

Ariadne

The radiant white Moon had risen and the multitudes of stars were shining in the backdrop of dark midnight blue sky. The ocean had changed from its beautiful bluish-green color to an appearance of thick dark black ink. The trees that had looked green and earthy during the day now looked like tall scary dark shadows in the night.

Never before in my entire life have I felt as so very exhausted as I do right now.

Both my feet were aching from the endless walking I had done the entire day. My body was shivering from the cold night air and I had no means to keep warm except to wrap my arms around myself. My stomach was growling and I was so famished; I could have picked some of the wild berries in the forest, but I was completely unsure of whether or not they were poisonous.

I could feel not even one bit of energy left in my body. Some of it had been taken up by walking, while most of it had been spent on screaming and cursing the bloody bastard of a hero who had abandoned me on this island. I knew that I shouldn't have wasted my precious energy on exerting my anger, but I was already too filled with pain and rage to care, up until this point.

Feeling the burdening weight of fatigue finally set upon me, I found that I could no longer bring myself to walk anymore. I even felt like I was too tired to even drag my feet. My knees were also starting to shake, indicating that my legs no longer had the strength to stand up.

With a sigh, I slowly settled myself down on the powdery sand, thankful for the fact that it felt soft instead of gritty. I sat facing the sea, keeping my eyes on the waves that were crashing upon land.

While I stayed quiet, I immediately wondered to myself exactly how far away from Crete I was. But no matter how I assured myself that the island I was on was not so much of a distance from Crete, I knew that it was a lie. I had been on Theseus' ships for the past three days, and I knew that we have already covered a great amount of ocean distance from Crete.

Again, I felt my tears welling up at the thought of home. I began to recall the big palace I had been born and grew up in, my bedchambers with a balcony that had a beautiful view of the kingdom, the palace garden with all its rich and beautiful flora, the library with works done by the greatest of writers and philosophers, and the village market square that I always used to frequent with my mother and sisters.

I started breaking into sobs at the thought that I could never see all of that again. I knew I shouldn't have cried because I had forfeited on my own the right to all these things the minute I had chosen to help Theseus. But I had done so out of foolishness. I was so dumb and ignorant to not think of the consequences of my actions and what I may lose in the process.

My heart started to break even more when my mind suddenly recalled Father's angered expression when he had realized that I had played a part in Theseus' success in the Labyrinth. He had yelled at me, cursed me, and threatened my life.

"_YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR THIS, YOU TRAITOR! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR ENDING A TRADITION OF CRETE! YOU WILL PAY DEARLY FOR BETRAYING YOUR HONOR TO OUR FAMILY!"_

My heart ached at the thought that I was now seen as a traitor in Father's eyes instead of his daughter. The Father that I had loved with all my heart now despised me with all of his heart.

"Father…" I whispered to the wind in between sobs. "Forgive me… Forgive me… I was stupid… So very stupid…"

I wanted so badly to come back to Crete and beg for his forgiveness. But I knew very well that I would only be scorned if I ever set foot back on my home island. I might even get punished for having the nerve to return, even though I was now a traitor.

But the more painful thought was that I knew very well that Father would never forgive me and he would never accept me back, even if I were to beg and grovel at his feet.

I was finding it more difficult to breathe as sobs started to choke my throat. But somehow, I managed to shift myself from sitting to a kneeling position. My hands started to clasp together and were brought to the front of my face. My eyes, which had been focused on the Moon, started to close shut.

Before I knew it, I was praying.

"Oh, great deities of Mount Olympus. Hear my pleas as I pray to you. I have foolishly given up everything I had for a man who had lied to me, who had betrayed me, who had swayed me with sweet nothings. I now have nothing except for my name and the cloths I wear. But even I can no longer be 'Ariadne of Crete'; now I am plainly 'Ariadne'. And the cloths I wear now are sure to disappear as time passes."

I paused to take in a shuddering breath through my sobs before I continued.

"Please hear me, great gods and goddesses of the great heavenly mountain. As I pray to you humbly, I plead to you to give me your mercy. Bring me help out of my predicament. Give me a chance to redeem myself. Allow me to have strength to continue living, to start anew. I wish to discard all that I had foolishly done, and repent for my actions. Please, great deities. Send me in any form a chance for me to redeem my name and forgive myself for my foolish actions. I would forever be grateful."

Now, as all became quiet again except for the waves and the breeze, I could only hope that the deities had heard me, and be ever so merciful to send me the chance I wished to gain.

* * *

Dionysus

When I had found her, she was kneeling on the beach, facing the ocean. She had her back to me, and I could not help but admire her form that was bathed in silvery-white moonlight.

I hid quietly in the outer regions of the forest, watching her intently. I noticed that her body was either shivering or shuddering; I didn't know whether she was just feeling cold or if she was crying. However, I heard soft sniffles sounding from her, confirming the fact that she was crying again.

I didn't know what she was doing. She was kneeling, and she had her clasped hands in front of her face. It was until she spoke, then did I realize that she was actually praying.

I listened carefully as she prayed to the deities on Mount Olympus for help. As I listened, I caught snippets of her speaking of a man who had lied to her, betrayed her, and swayed her with 'sweet nothings'. For some reason, I felt like the man that she was talking about must be that Theseus.

But the most important thing I had picked up from her prayer was her name.

I finally knew her name.

Her name was Ariadne.

Previously known as 'Ariadne of Crete', now plainly known as 'Ariadne'.

_Ariadne…_ The name tasted sweet on my tongue, like a nice drop of honeyed nectar. The name felt appropriate for her; a lovely name for a lovely face. I could not stop tasting saying that name, glad now that I finally knew what it was.

"Ariadne… Ariadne…"

While I murmured her name, I listened as she prayed to the gods and goddesses. She prayed for a chance to 'redeem' herself. She talked about having a predicament, wanting to forgive herself for mistaken actions, and to have strength to start anew. She prayed for the gods and goddesses to send her a chance to redeem her name and forgive herself.

When she had finished her prayer, I became even more confused. What was what she talking about? What was she praying to the deities for? What was it that Theseus may have done to her? What had happened to her?

So overwhelmed with curiosity was I, that I then forgot all importance of secrecy at that moment.

"Ariadne."

I had spoken her name at my normal volume of voice, very sure that she could hear me.

True enough, she did.

When I had spoken her name, she immediately turned her head around and stared at the forest. She was looking all around for what had said her name, unknowing that it was me. Now that I could see her face, I could see that her eyes were red and rimmed with tears and her cheeks were completely wet with the tears that had streamed down from her eyes.

"H-Hello?" she called out in panic, the fear she was feeling very evident in her voice. "W-Who's there?"

At that moment, I felt unsure of answering to her calls. Seeing the fear in her face made me worried that I might frighten her even more, and that would have been the very last thing that I wanted to do to her. If she was frightened of me, I was worried that she might do something like run away or scream.

But if I didn't act now, I would never get that chance any sooner than later. Besides, I had already pretty much made my presence known to her by saying her name, and that had already gotten her worked up.

With a deep breath and a lot of hope in my heart, I stepped out of my hiding place in the forest and into her view.

* * *

Author's Note:

So I was watching Immortals on HBO a few days ago. And though I was drooling over Henry Cavill and raging on all the wrong points of the movie (Seriously? _Mount _Tartarus? Ares gets killed by one flaming whip? And what's with all the excessive - and obviously fake - gold that the gods wear?! That movie seriously has a lot of _wrong _in it. I feel insulted on behalf of Greek Mythology!), I couldn't help but think of Theseus and Phaedra in the movie.

As you know, Theseus and Phaedra does have a part to play in this story. But it won't be so elaborated on the first part of the story. Somewhere in the middle of the second part, it will. Both of them would, of course, have something to do with Ariadne. Of course, don't expect them to be like their Immortals counterpart! (Phaedra ain't no Virgin Oracle priestess! That's for sure!)

So anyway, it has now come to a crucial moment for Dionysus. He is finally about to meet Ariadne! How will he react? And how would their first meeting go? What will happen to the both of them?

Find out on the next chapter on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	5. PART 1: Chapter 4

_**Part 1: Chapter 4**_

Ariadne

So there had been someone nearby.

And true to what I had suspected, it was a man.

He stepped out of the forest when I had called out for whoever had called out my name just seconds prior. At first, there had only been the sound of leaves rustling to indicate his presence. In the darkness of the night, he seemed like a tall shadow as he approached me. At first, I thought he must be some sort of evil daemon that had come to torment me, and I felt myself quaking in fear. But I noticed by the sounds of his footsteps that he did not walk with predatory intent. Instead, the sounds of his feet on the sand sounded gentle and careful, as though he seemed partly hesitant to make his presence known while also trying to seem non-threatening.

I held my breath as I waited for this stranger to show his face to me. I stayed where I was on the sand, not making a move to stand up. I wrapped my arms around myself; partly trying to keep me warm against the cold, while partly also to somehow protect myself.

Finally, he was on the edge of the shadows before a streak of moonlight. He stopped all of a sudden, and I could feel his eyes boring into mine, which were wide with caution. I wondered why he stopped instead of continuing to walk towards me, and I guessed that he must be hesitant to show his face. I half-heartedly wanted to see his face. I was worried that he might be some horrendous dark beast that only took a form of a man, but I tried hard to quah those silly fears.

Finally, he stepped into the moonlight, which he was quickly illuminated in and it was then I could see how he looked like.

But the minute I did, I felt like the air in my lungs had escaped from within me when I first set my eyes on the man.

He was absolutely handsome. Even in the darkness of the night and the faint white moonlight, I could see very clearly his beautiful features.

Hair that cascaded in dark waves to his broad shoulders.

Eyes that were dark and looked so smoldering.

A tall, lean and muscular body that was clothed in a single dark-colored chiton.

This man's beauty seemed so divine. I don't think I have ever seen a man in my entire life that was as handsome as him. Even Theseus, who I had so foolishly thought was the complete embodiment of handsome when I had first seen him, seemed plain and average in comparison to the looks of this stranger.

But despite how awe-stricken I was, I still felt fear at the thought that it was a _man _that had been so near me, and I began to fear for what he might do if his mind was full of… disturbing intentions.

"W-Who are y-you?" I questioned him in a stutter, frozen at where I was as I kept my eyes locked on him.

The man looked at me in contemplation. He did not seem threatening; only curious... or cautious.

"I am just someone who was passing by, Ariadne," the stranger replied.

When I heard his voice, I felt even more awestruck than I was when I first saw him. His voice sounded as beautiful as he looked. Even though it was a voice that every male should have - deep and masculine - it sounded like music that came from the high heavens, completely enchanting and ethereal. Was it even possible for a man to have a voice as beautiful as this stranger's?

"How did you know my name?" I questioned fearfully.

With a shrug, the man answered, "I heard it when you were praying to the deities of Mount Olympus."

Well, isn't this man such a straight-forward one? Although, I will admit that it was quite true.

But all of a sudden, I remembered my prayer; I remembered what I had prayed to the gods for. And that made me wonder about why this man was here.

"Are you going to help me?" I inquired of him.

My question caused a change in his expression. Just a few seconds ago, he had been calm and quite contemplative, with a small smile gracing his lips. But now, he looked even more in contemplation, with his head cocked to the side as he continued to look at me. His smile was gone, but he did not look angered or upset. Maybe just… curious.

"That depends on what you mean by help," he told me quietly.

His answer was strange, for some reason. The way he talked to me was as though he was talking to a friend or an acquaintance, when in truth I was just some complete stranger to him. Or so I thought I was.

For a split second, I wanted to turn to demanding and telling him to help me, wanting to say that I was the Princess of Crete and help should be given if I had asked for it. But before those words could spill out of my lips, I was suddenly reminded of the painful yet real truth that I could no longer be considered a princess.

Now I was a traitor.

I could feel my throat being choked with a new sob, but I hastily swallowed the uncomfortable lump that had formed. I was not willing to break down in front of this handsome stranger. It would have been a very embarrassing sight to see for him.

I let out a tense and shaky breath to calm myself down and try to not break, but it was then I noticed that my actions triggered a new change in the stranger. His beautiful eyes started to look at me with worry as his perfectly-arched eyebrows pulled into a concern frown. At first, I thought that it was just the normal look of concern anyone else might have when they see a person who was looking like they were about to cry.

However, the look of concern on this stranger's face seemed… genuine. As though he really was worried about my state.

I saw his lips parting, indicating that he wanted to say something. But I spoke up first.

"Can you tell me where I am?"

That question had, of course, been plaguing my mind since the very minute I had opened my eyes this afternoon, when I had awaken abandoned on the part of the beach that was by now very far away. I fretted over the thought that I was on an unknown, inhabited island. But now that this stranger was standing right in front of me, I knew then that the island may not be inhabited at all. At that thought, I felt hope filling myself slightly at the thought that I may be able get help on this island.

The man looked deep in thought for a while, as though he was trying to recall what the island we were both on was. That made me assume that this man was not from this island, and I had a worrisome feeling that he may be just as clueless of where he was as I was.

But then, he answered, "The island of Dia. Or Naxos, if you prefer."

I gasped in complete and audible shock and disbelief.

Naxos! I was on Naxos?!

This was absolutely not good for me. By what geography that I had studied from Daedalus when I was younger, the island of Naxos was several hundred miles away from Crete and a few several hundred miles from Athens. And the only nearby islands would require at least two to three days to travel by boat, which even that I had absolute difficulty, because I didn't even have a boat to begin with.

I felt my heart slowly become ridden with fear and anxiety once again. I felt like I was about to break down at the very thought that I was so very far away from home.

But before I could even do so, the stranger's voice broke me out of my thoughts.

"Ariadne of Crete, what has happened to make you so fearful?"

I didn't realize that I had cast my eyes downwards until the stranger spoke. Gulping down another lump that was about to form in my throat, I looked up to see that the man was now kneeling down to level his eyes with mine. It was then I realized the fact that he was quite tall; even kneeling, he towered over me by a few inches.

Rubbing my arms as an attempt to warm and soothe myself, I quietly replied, "I am no longer 'of Crete', because I had soiled my name so much that it is now shameful to return to the island that had used to be my home. Now, I only feel fearful as I am now on an island which is too far away from Crete and which I have no knowledge of."

I let out a sigh and quietly waited for the stranger's reply.

"What has happened to make you soil your name?" he asked curiously.

All of a sudden, I felt anger wash over me. How dare this stranger just ask me such a question? Did he not know anything about privacy? Especially with those who he had just met? How could he even think to ask such a very personal question of me, who doesn't even know who on Earth he was?

"That is personal," I snapped at him with malice in my voice.

I was amazed by how, in just a few seconds, I had changed from being quiet and shatter to angered and venomous. I was not usually prone to mood-swings, especially fast-changing ones. I could only assume that the stress I had felt during this whole entire day had made me more sensitive than how I usually was.

I was sure that my tone of voice was sure to get him feeling somewhat offended by my rudeness, but it didn't. Instead of looking offended or even a bit bashful for asking me that question, he only smiled.

"How can I help you if I do not know what had happened to you?" he asked me politely.

Unfortunately, his reply only helped to heighten the anger I felt inside. What was previously a small spark was now growing into a small fire that threatened to get bigger by the second. I could feel myself fuming at the thought that he was insolent enough to keep pressing me about that matter instead of just letting it go, even though I had given him a good-enough hint that I didn't want to tell him.

"You don't have to know," I replied angrily, noticing a rise in the volume of my voice. "And you can _help_ by telling me which way is the nearest village, so that I can find _real_ help."

The stranger's eyebrows rose speculatively; the only response to my answer. His smile disappeared to turn into a straight line. For a split second, I could only guess that he finally felt intimidated by me, and I would be glad for that to happen.

"Well, are you going to tell me or not?" I asked, admittedly quite haughtily. "I want to find help as soon as possible."

Slowly, the stranger began to stand up. He did not immediately reply to my question. Instead, he merely turned around. At that moment, I felt fear overtaking me again. I thought that he was about to leave because I had been so openly rude and hostile to him. I immediately began to regret my words, as they may be the reason I lost the only form of help I could get right now.

"Wait… I didn't mean to be so rude…." I said quietly in a pleading tone, my voice losing all its venom and malice and reverting back to the meek and quiet one I held just now. "It's just that… I'm facing problems that I cannot bear right now… I'm completely stressed and exhausted… I'm on an island that I don't even know so much about, and I'm completely alone… Just… Please… I could really use a lot of help right now…"

The man kept quiet and only turned his head to look at me over his shoulder. I noticed that in his dark eyes was tension, but it slowly softened into one of gentleness. The man sighed and extended a hand to gesture to the forest in front of me.

"I'm afraid that the nearest village is all the way on the other side of the island," he informed me. "That would take you about a few days to get there by foot. But the forests on this island are too dense and large for you to find your way across without professional help. What's more, there are dangerous creatures prowling around in there."

Hearing that, my heart sank in pain. What the man said was truly disheartening. Even if this island wasn't inhabited, I still couldn't get help because I was too far away from the closest help I could get. That only made my situation even more difficult, and I could feel my throat clenching as fresh new sadness threatened to control me.

Trying to hold back tears, I asked in a strained voice, "Then what am I to do? I am cold, hungry and exhausted. I don't even know my way around here." Looking up at the stranger, I pleaded, "Please, sir. Send help for me. I will forever be in your gratitude if you do."

All of a sudden, the man's eyes began to take on a look of hesitance. Was he hesitating at the thought of sending me help? I don't know, but I really hope not. This man was the only possible help I could get right now, but I could only hope that he was willing to give it to me.

In a low voice, he told me, "You can rest here for the time being. You wouldn't be able to find any good shelter at this time, where darkness covers everywhere. Try to hold back your hunger until morning; you would be able to find some fruits."

And then, finally turning around to face me, he said, "I must depart right now, but I will come back the next day. In the meantime, please do stay safe."

This man's words right now made me feel strange. Now, he sounded so mysterious and elusive, as though he was trying not to expose too much of himself right now. And the way he told me that he would come back made me feel anxious at the thought of seeing him once again.

But before I could say anything, he was suddenly walking back into the forest. At the sight of him leaving, my heart started racing at the thought that I will be alone once again.

"Wait! Can you please take me with you?" I asked him pleadingly, not wanting to be alone on this lonely and empty beach. I know that I was risking danger by asking to go with a man that was a complete stranger to me, but it was better that than being by myself.

The man stopped in his tracks, and I could hear him sigh lowly. Turning his head slightly to look at me over his shoulder from the corner of his eye, he replied with a pitiful look in his eye, "I am sorry, Ariadne. But I truly cannot. Where I am heading back to is not something that someone like you should see."

My heart starting stammering even more and I was so very sure that I was about to cry and beg him to not leave me alone. But before I could do that, he continued on.

"Do not worry, Ariadne. You have prayed to the deities of Mount Olympus with earnest of your heart. A god among the council has heard you, and he will make sure that you stay safe."

Suddenly, I felt even stranger at his words. What did he mean by that? How could he possibly be sure that what he had said was true? There was no way he could.

Unless…

"Who are you?" I asked quietly and hesitantly. It was the very first question I had asked him when he had emerged out of the forest, but he didn't give me a definite answer; he only told me that he was just someone who was passing by. I was then suddenly very aware of the fact that I had not known his name since first seeing him. I felt dumb to not do so; I had been speaking to this man for the past few minutes without even knowing his name.

In the darkness and the faint moonlight, I could make out a smirk forming on the corner of his lips.

In a kind voice, he replied, "I am a friend."

Without another word, he walked back into the forest, finally leaving me by myself.

I thought at that moment that I would once again be ridden with fear at the thought of being alone on this empty beach on the vast island of Naxos. But for some reason, I wasn't.

Because something in that man's words made me feel sure that I will be safe.

* * *

Dionysus

After leaving her, I returned to the campsite. When I had returned, nearly everyone was under the influence of wine and had now entered complete drunken stupor. Everyone was screaming with ecstasy, singing at the top of their lungs, dancing wildly, copulating frenziedly, and drinking even more wine with intent.

Everyone was too far drunk to notice that I was not as drunk as them. Some had come to me to ask me to dance and drink with them. I accepted graciously, but I did not enter the drunken haze. I was too immersed in my thoughts of Ariadne.

I remembered the fear and anxiety in her eyes when she saw me approaching her in the shadows, which then turned into a look of awe and amazement when she finally saw what I looked like in the moonlight. But despite that, she still talked to me with uncertainty clear in her voice.

I remembered the way she snapped at me when I had asked her about what had happened to her. _That is personal._ she told me in a sudden angered voice. When I tried to press her, she retorted with clear malice, _You don't have to know_.

When I had stood up to survey the forest, she must have taken it as me leaving. She returned to being the nervous and fearful girl I had watched and even asked me to give her help. I didn't directly summon help from her, even if I could. Instead, I felt that I myself wanted to help her, while also maybe try to get the story of what had happened to her.

But what I mostly remembered was the question she had asked me before I departed.

_Who are you?_

I did not know why exactly I did not just tell Ariadne my name. I did not know why exactly I did not just tell her who I really was. I did not know why exactly I did not just tell her that I was a god; one of the Olympian deities who she had prayed to for help.

Some part of me told me that I should have told her, so to assure her that her prayers had been answered and that I would be willing to give her the aid she needed. Damn, I might even be able to bring her back to her Crete homeland in the blink of an eye. And if ever I felt like it, I could always ask her to repay the 'favor'.

But for some reason, I kept that truth from her, and I knew why. It was because I felt that if I had told her that I was a god, she would expect me to help her straight away, without time for anything else. No, that was not what I wanted. What I wanted was to tend to her carefully, like any concern mortal would be. This was because it was so crystal clear that she was in a really fragile state of mind. To force her to go through the rush of things without allowing her time to think might only worsen her situation, and I was not willing to risk that.

What's more, I wanted to get to know Ariadne. I wanted to get to know this mortal girl that had invaded my mind and had left a deep impression in my thoughts, to the point where I would be distracted just by thinking of her. I wanted to know who she was, and what had happened to her. I really did want to know what had happened that had led to her possible abandonment by the man named Theseus?

I knew from experience that someone like her wouldn't be as honest to a god as she would to a mortal that seemed sincere to her. So to gain my chance of getting to know her better, I hid the truth about my true identity.

I was determined to get to know her, no matter how long it may take.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, not a really loving first meeting, what with Ariadne being pissy for a while, but still alright, yes?

Dionysus here wants to know our Ariadne, and he's willing to keep his true identity a secret from her just so that he could do that! But how long will the charade keep up!

Anyway, I want to play a game with you guys. Recently, my brother and I discussed who would be the most badass gods in the Greek pantheon. I would say Hades, Artemis and Ares (don't know why), and maybe even Dionysus since he's usually badass when he's drunk. But what about you guys?

So anyway, until Friday! Wonder what's going to happen next?

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	6. PART 1: Chapter 5

_**Part 1: Chapter 5**_

Dionysus

True to what I had promised her, I returned to the beach the next day, just a few minutes after the sun had risen.

But when I had arrived, I saw that she was still asleep. She had slept under a palm tree on the outskirts of the forest, her arms wrapped around herself to keep her warm as her head and back rested against the trunk. Her hair was messy around her face, with a few stray blonde strands strewn over her forehead.

From where I stood, just about ten feet away from her, I couldn't help but stop and gaze at her. It would be a lie to say that she was not beautiful. She was beautiful. Even more beautiful than some of the most beautiful Maenads I have come across. Seeing her at peace within her sleep had helped to wipe away any signs of fear and anxiety that her façade showed clearly the night before.

Not wanting to wake her up from her deep sleep, I decided to just roam around the forest; not too near to her, but close enough for me to watch out for her. As I walked lazily among the trees, a leopard with a tawny-colored coat marked with black spots appeared out of the green. She took a look at me for a while with her shining light brown eyes before coming closer to caress my leg with her head.

"Hello there," I greeted her with a scratch to her head. "This is quite a good morning to be out and about in your lovely forest, isn't it?"

The leopard responded by purring appreciatively as I continued to scratch the scruff of its neck.

Speaking of forests, I began to think of Ariadne. How was she going to be able to handle being her on this side of Naxos, where the only thing keeping her away from the help she needed was the vast, large and very dense forest? Judging by her character, I could tell that she was not the type to know anything about forests, much less how to survive in them. I bet that if she were to venture into the forest to get to help on harsh impulse and without a single thought, she would not be able to last an entire day, as she was sure to get lost, or perish from eating a poisonous wild berry, or have her life at stake if she were to come across a wild carnivorous animal like the leopard that was wound around my legs.

I know that I cannot be there to protect her all the time, which was why I needed another to do so in my absence. Most probably someone who knew a forest very well like the back of their hand. Someone who could tame wild beasts and who was brave and courageous in the perils of the wild.

And that's when it hit me. I knew the right person to call.

Without wasting another second, I took a deep breath and summoned my intended.

"Great Goddess of the Hunt! Mistress of the Wilds and the Queen of Beasts! I call for you, and I await your arrival!"

The minute I finished my words, my call was answered.

She appeared in an aura of bright silver right before my very eyes. She was a vision of ethereal beauty; true and pure, distinguished in her enchanting and enticing features. Her dark hair of black and dark brown cascaded in waves to the half of her back, framing her beautiful face perfectly. Her eyes were midnight blue, the exact color of the dark night sky, and were so hypnotizing that I could not look away.

But the way she presented herself made clear the fact that she was no meek doe. She stood tall and firm with an air of power. Her beautiful eyes showed that she was confident and fearless. Equipped with an archery bow made of pure silver strapped to her back and a leather quiver of shafts of pure silver arrows slung on her left shoulder, it only made it clearer that she too was dangerous.

I smiled when the goddess appeared at my call, and bowed deeply.

"Beautiful Artemis, I bid you welcome," I greeted heartily to my older half-sister, Artemis.

It's been a long time since I had seen her. Artemis was still as beautiful as I remembered. I will admit that when I had first started living on Mount Olympus, she had been one of the many objects of my desire. One of the most desired ones, might I add. I knew very well that I was not the only god to have been under the spell of her beauty. However, she was a sworn virgin goddess, and she was very protective of her maidenhood. So protective that I have heard tales of her murdering unfortunate men who tried in vain to invite her to their beds. Her punishments were so severe that I knew that I shouldn't be taking any chances. Besides, her younger twin brother, my older half-brother Apollo, was also so protective of her that if any man dared to touch her without her permission, he made sure that, if they were not put to death, the rest of their lives were spent in complete misery.

She was quick in response. "Dionysus. What is the meaning of this?" she questioned with a frown. "You have never summoned me before, so why now?"

Taking a look around the forest, I told her, "I wish to ask for a favor."

Hearing my words, her frown deepened and she eyed me with suspicion. That was quite usual 'Artemis' behavior She was one of those very cautious sorts of people.

"And what exactly would this 'favor' be?" she questioned me as she folded her arms, her eyes continuing to look at me suspiciously. "Do know, Dionysus, that I am not one to easily take favors, unless you are able to convince me."

At that moment, I hadn't really thought this through. I cursed myself internally, scolding myself for not having a few minutes to at least think before I summoned her. But I could do nothing about that now. She was here and I needed to take my chances.

Silently, I gestured for her to follow me. Artemis remained suspicious, but she followed me nonetheless, stopping only to give the leopard a scratch to her scruff.

Pulling back a few leafy branches, I finally caught sight of Ariadne. She was still asleep under the palm tree, only now on her side instead of her back. Her arms were still wrapped around her frame.

"See that girl?" I asked Artemis as I gestured a hand in the direction of Ariadne.

Artemis looked over to where I was pointing. "Yes, I do," she replied nonchalantly. "Who is this mortal girl, Dionysus? A lover of yours?"

Immediately, I shook my head. "No," I replied just as immediately.

At my answer, Artemis only raised her eyebrow incredulously, clearly not believing me. Typical Artemis; ever the skeptic.

"She is not a lover of mine," I told her firmly. "Her name is Ariadne, and she is from Crete. She seemed to have been abandoned here on this island, and she has no idea where to go or what to do."

As I explained to her, Artemis looked at Ariadne with a scrutinizing gaze. She looked at the sleeping mortal girl with so much concentration that her focus seemed to be very firm and unwavering.

Deciding that her silence was too eerie, I decided to break it. With a deep breath, I told her, "This is the favor I wish to ask of you…"

But before I could continue, Artemis cut me off suddenly by saying, "She is no virgin."

Immediately, the words on my tongue disappeared as I became distracted with that new piece of fact.

"How did you…."

Before I could finish my question, Artemis cut me off again. "I can smell the scent of a man on her. It is not fresh, but it is quite strong," she told me knowingly. She then inhaled a bit of air, before wrinkling her nose in what could only be disgust. "She was tainted not too long ago. Maybe a few weeks before. But still, she reeks of a man."

Hearing that Ariadne was not a virgin certainly made me shock. She did not seem to look like she had been deflowered. Alright, she did not look to be a young girl anymore, but she still did not look like a woman; probably somewhere in between, still in the process of leaving girlhood and entering womanhood. Then again, Artemis did say that Ariadne may have lost her virginity shortly before, which may be why she did not look to be… experienced.

Suddenly, my curiosity flared again as a new thought popped up into my mind. What if Theseus was Ariadne's lover? That was one possibility. And if that new assumption was correct, then I truly wonder why would Theseus abandon her on Naxos? Was it because he had reason, or because he had simply grown bored of her?

"What favor do you wish to ask of me that involves a non-virgin?" Artemis questioned me abruptly, breaking me out of my thoughts.

As my mind cleared away the new crowding thoughts in an instant, I replied solemnly, "You are the only one I know who can help me with her."

When I said that, Artemis' eyes widened as though I had told her the most offending sentence in the world.

"I cannot help a _tainted _girl," she responded in disbelief and outrage. "I am a patroness of maidens, and this girl – this Ariadne – is no longer a maiden. She had chosen to fall under the powers of Aphrodite, and is now supposedly under Hera's patronage. I cannot do anything to protect her now."

Hearing that made my throat dry with uncertainty. What Artemis said was true; Ariadne was no longer under her care. But I cannot go to Hera, who would be her _de facto _Goddess, since I was very sure that the Queen still hated me with every single ounce of ichor in her body. Neither could I seek help from Aphrodite, who only held patronage over lovers. Artemis was the closest person I know that I could seek help from.

"If not your help as the Goddess of Maidens, then help her as the Goddess of the Wild," I responded quickly, without much thought.

My words caused a change in Artemis' expression. When she had been outraged a few seconds ago, she was in confusion now.

"What do you mean by that?" she inquired, her voice guarded.

I let out a sigh of relief that I still might have a chance to convince her otherwise. Taking a deep breath to steady my voice, I told her, "Ariadne has no choice but to stay on this island until she can find help in some way. This island is a vast majority of forests, which you solely own and rule as its Queen. I only seek your understanding and willingness to at least offer her protection from the dangers that dwell within the wild. If you want, I can ask her to give offerings to you to repay you. I too will also make sure that she does nothing to harm your wilderness and your beasts."

I could see contemplation in Artemis' dark blue eyes as she listened to me. Looking away from me to look back at the still-sleeping Ariadne, I can tell that she was trying to make a decision. I felt even more relieved in the heart at the thought that I may have been able to convince her just yet.

Finally, Artemis broke out of her silence and sighed. I tensed, waiting for her answer.

Looking back at me, she told me, "I will have to see for myself if she is worthy of my protection."

* * *

Ariadne

When I felt myself waking up, I felt softness on my back and the warmth of two arms wrapped around my frame. I felt something hard and strong behind me and a breath washing over my face. I then slowly opened my eyes, knowing that the first thing I would see would be the still-sleeping face of Theseus.

However, I was completely wrong.

Instead of the softness of pillowed sleeping mats on my back, it was really the softness of sand. Instead of the two strong arms of my lover wrapped around me, it was actually my own two arms. Instead of the hard and strong chest of my lover on my back, it was actually the trunk of a palm tree. Instead of the warm breath of my lover washing over my face, it was actually a warm morning breeze.

When I sat up, feeling completely dazed and confused, I realized then that I was still on the beach.

I felt my heart shatter as I remembered then that I had truly been abandoned on the island of Naxos by the one I had thought would be the love of my life. It was no nightmare in my sleep. It truly and horrifyingly did happen.

Bringing myself to sit, I drew my knees to my chest and hugged my legs, resting my chin on them as I gazed out at the sea. For a moment, I thought that I might break down into tears again, but I found that I could not. I realized that I had cried myself dry from the previous day, and the feeling I experienced now was a slight burning at the back of my eyes.

I let out a long low sigh, too exhausted from the day before to exert myself into more anger and sorrow. I knew now that I had to face facts that I was stuck on Naxos and I would not be receiving any form of help anytime soon, except for the stranger from last night.

Suddenly, I began to think about that stranger. I remembered clearly how he looked and how he sounded like. I mean, how could I not? The perfection in both his looks and voice was not something that could easily be forgotten. It had etched itself very clearly and definite into my mind.

But something still lingered in my mind about him. Mostly, it was the question of who he was. For some reason, I had a feeling that he was no human; what sort of human could have such ethereal beauty and voice? No, he felt as though he was a being crafted by the hands of the great gods themselves, and then sent to me as a sign that they had heard my prayers and were willing to answer it.

But for some reason, I couldn't help but think that he too may be… a _god_.

Before I could ponder more on that possibility, I snapped myself out of my thoughts. How could I think of him as a god? Gods do not easily come to mortals, nor do they make their presences known so directly. Gods had better things to do than spare a few moments for a lowly mortal such as myself, unless it had been with intentions of their own.

However, so engrossed was I with thoughts of the gods and the mysterious stranger, that I jumped when I heard something.

"Hello there."

It was a voice, and when I first heard it, I thought it was the sound of beautiful and heavenly music being played on golden instruments, or soft clear water flowing gently from a silver cup, or a drop of nectar rolling down a soft flower petal, or the beautiful chirping melody of tiny birds when the sun had first risen.

In simple words, the voice was absolutely _beautiful_.

However, the voice to send a jolt to my heart, and it was because I could not believe it.

I was hearing a _voice_. A voice!

Before I could get over my overwhelming shock, the voice continued on.

"Who might you be?"

Taking a deep breath to calm my racing heart, I slowly turned my head in the direction of the voice. The more my faced inched to the side, the more I prayed in my heart that the voice I was hearing was no illusion, and that there was someone there.

Thank Mount Olympus and the deities who inhabit it that there was really someone there.

But the minute I laid eyes on whoever it was, I felt my heart skip several beats.

The person standing in front of me was a young woman, who looked only a few years older than me, and who was the most beautiful woman I had ever seen.

Now, I have seen many women who were considered beautiful in the court of the Kingdom of Crete, but none could ever be worthy of being a competition to the woman standing right in front of me. She seemed too beautiful to be real. I have never seen such beauty in my entire life.

The woman donned a long and fitting white robe that completely covered yet slightly emphasized her slim and slender figure. Her robe had a white hood which was pulled up over her head, but flowing out of it was her long dark hair that fell in waves of streaks of dark black and brown to just below her breasts. In the shadow made by her hood, I could see her pair of eyes that were in the most exquisite shade of dark blue and were framed by beautiful thick dark lashes, looking at me with curiosity.

Immediately, I felt a pang of jealousy as I gazed in awe at her extraordinary beauty. This was quite a norm for me to feel around women who I thought to be more beautiful than me. It made me feel intimidated and less beautiful than I supposed I was.

As I continued to stare at the beautiful stranger, she spoke to me once again in her melodious voice.

"Can you speak?" she asked with a soft smile and a raised eyebrow.

Realizing that I had been staring at her wordlessly for quite a long time now, I snapped out of my daze and cleared my throat, feeling my cheeks burn with embarrassment.

"Yes, I can," I told her shyly, my hair – yet to be tamed – shielding my face from the woman's view. "Who… Who are you?" I asked.

Taking small steps closer to me, she replied, "I will not tell you my real name; that is what I wish to keep to myself. But if you wish to refer me by one, then you may call me Cynthia, young Ariadne."

"How did you know my name?" I abruptly questioned, feeling shocked by the fact that she had known my name although I have yet to introduce myself to her.

The woman – Cynthia, she had called herself – only smiled wider and then, with both hands, she gestured gently to the forests nearby.

"The wildlands watches you, and I watch the wildlands. So, indirectly, I watch you," she explained gently. "But yet, I only know of your name and your predicament here. But I do not know of your story. Like what had you here on the island of Naxos in the first place. Have you been abandoned?"

I felt myself be taken aback by her question. At that moment, I was reminded of how the stranger had asked me such a direct question in the first place. I recalled clearly how I had shouted at him, angry that he dared to ask me such a personal question even though he had only known me for a few seconds.

For a split second, I wanted to lash out on Cynthia the same way I lashed out at the stranger. But I held myself back immediately. This woman had been kind to me so far, and she had done nothing to insult me (except by being more beautiful than me, but that's too insignificant a problem). So I did not see reason for me to be angry at her. Besides, I also did not want to risk getting on her bad side, out of fear that I might lose her like how I nearly lost the stranger last night.

"I… You see…" I tried to begin, but I couldn't bring myself to tell her. Partly because it was still personal and I felt uncomfortable about telling it to a complete stranger despite how kind they are, and partly because I was afraid that I might break again just by speaking about it.

With a heavy sigh, I whispered, "It's a long story… But I will tell you that I got into this mess by being foolish and trusting the wrong person…"

I looked down at the sand again as I felt tears beginning to burn the back of my eyes. But I slowly took deep breaths to prevent it from falling. I did not want to cry now; I was too exhausted to do it again.

"I can only hope that the gods would be able to hear my prayers," I told her in a whisper. "I'll do whatever it takes to help me move on from my mistakes."

All of a sudden, an open hand appeared slowly in front of me. I looked up to see that Cynthia was now standing in front of me, giving me her hand. My breath hitched in shock, because I did not hear her come closer. Either I must be too involved in my thoughts, or she could really take steps without making a sound.

Gazing into her mesmerizing eyes, I could see a calm and reassuring look in them, as if to tell me mentally that everything was going to be alright.

"You need not tell me if you do not feel like it," she told me in her sweet, gentle voice. "Now come. I will bring you to better shelter."

While her offering hand was still positioned in front of me, I only looked at her in uncertainty.

Should I take her offer of help? I cannot forget the fact that she was a stranger, and I knew very well that strangers cannot be easily trusted. But Cynthia seemed kind, and she did not pry too much. Besides, what other choice do I have? It was either I follow her to whatever 'better shelter' she spoke of, or I continued to stay on this beach, all hungry and lost and confused.

With a deep breath, I gently took her hand. Cynthia helped to pull me up gently into a standing position. When I was upright, I was suddenly very aware of the fact that my feet were aching and my balance felt off. I could have fell right back on the sand if she had not been there to help me stay up.

"Come," she said to me, leading me into the forest.

Despite the overwhelming fear that throbbed my heart, I stayed quiet and allowed her to lead me in.

* * *

Author's Note:

Interesting reviews from you guys on the previous chapter!

Alright! Introducing Artemis! Question: Why is Artemis in this fanfiction? Well, in one version of the Ariadne myth, Artemis was the one who either killed Ariadne or granted her immortality to be with Dionysus forever. I will spoil it by saying that she would do none of these things with Ariadne in this fanfic, but she will be somewhat the first friend Ariadne makes, and she's going to be very instrumental in future chapters. By the way, Artemis takes the name 'Cynthia', which, in real Greek Mythology, was her other name.

So! Dionysus has asked his older half-sister to grant Ariadne protection, and Artemis does just that. In the next chapter, see how these two start off on their second encounter!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	7. PART 1: Chapter 6

_**Part 1: Chapter 6**_

Dionysus

I was on the beach, standing exactly where the water's reach ended. As I looked out at the distance, seeing nothing but more of the vibrant blue-green sea, I stood still and let the water wash over my bare feet. I listened to the sounds of the waves and the calls of the birds. I breathed in the sea breeze, imagining myself to be drinking its lovely fragrance.

It was quiet and peaceful, and I allowed myself to enjoy this nice moment.

But all of a sudden, I felt another presence approaching. There was no sound to indicate its appearance; the aura just slowly started to become more evident the closer it came. Feeling it, I turned, and when I did, I instantly saw Artemis standing right behind me.

No longer did she don the white full-length robe she had on when she went to Ariadne, but once again back into her emerald green chiton that reached a few inches above her knees. Her face was no longer partially hidden by the hood of her robe, now exposed for many – or just me – to behold her immense beauty. Strapped to her back was her bow and quiver, which had been hidden when the goddess had gone to see the mortal girl.

Turning around to face my body to her, I asked, "So? How has it gone?"

I hoped with all my heart that Artemis had decided to accept my plea to seek her help for Ariadne. But I also hoped that Ariadne had not done anything wrong to lose the mighty goddess' good graces. I know of how rude and haughty the mortal girl could get, since she had shown it to me personally the previous night, and I only hoped that she hadn't shown any of the fiery attitude during her encounter with my half-sister.

Letting out a small breath, Artemis answered, "So far, she seems alright. Weak and exhausted, yes, but alright. She had done nothing to insult me and she had treated me with respect, so I take it that it would be two good things about her." Suddenly, Artemis began to look deep in thought for a few seconds, before she sighed and told me, "I cannot deny the fact that I cannot be her guardian anymore, Dionysus. She is no longer a virgin."

Hearing that last bit made my heart drop a bit. So what does that mean? Does that mean that Artemis would not give her protection in these wildlands of Naxos? If so, then I worried how exactly Ariadne was going to survive here.

But before I could part my lips to start pleading her once again, she cut me off by telling me, "However, I've decided that I may provide her some sanctuary here in my wildlands. I could tell that she is indeed in need of a helping hand, so I have given a little bit of aid to her." Pointing to one direction to the forest behind her without turning her body towards it, she informed me, "Currently, I have told her to stay in a small grove by a stream. Continue to walk straight in that direction and you will find the place."

The dropping feeling of my heart from just a few seconds immediately turned into one of relief. Thank everything that Artemis had been kind, despite her initial gruff and reluctant attitude from the beginning. I smiled widely to show her how much I appreciated what she had done.

"However," she suddenly said with a new tone of warning, "I had done so on the condition that she does not do any harm to my domain." Her voice then took on a more menacing tone as she added, "If ever she acts in defiance, I will not hesitate to take away her privileges in my domain, and also make sure that she pays for wrongdoings."

I gulped, but quickly nodded in understanding. That was one thing about Artemis that absolutely frightened me; the way that she could quickly transition from a gentle and merciful soul to a fearsome and deadly being. Truly, one had absolutely better be careful with their words and actions when in the presence of Artemis.

"I will make sure that she does not do anything to insult you," I told her in a voice that I had managed to keep stable. "And if she ever does any slight mistakes that offend you, I will take full responsibility."

I had nearly felt hesitance when I said the last part, but I knew that I had to take responsibility over Ariadne, since I was the one who made the effort to know her and I was the one who had personally called Artemis to give protection to her, even persuading her even if she had initially said that she couldn't – or maybe wouldn't – do it.

All menace in Artemis' facial expression and voice slowly disappeared as she told me in a more neutral tone, "Good to hear that."

Just then, she slung off her bow and gripped it tight in her right hand. "Now that everything's settled, I should be off," she told me, starting to move off. "I would be returning at any point of time to check on her, though I will expect you to do that more frequently." And then, the warning tone returned as she told me, "She is _your _responsibility, Dionysus. Remember that."

I nodded immediately. "Yes, Artemis." And then, with a slight bow, I told her, "Until next time."

She bowed her head to me before jogging off into the forest. Her aura lingered for a minute, until it finally disappeared.

* * *

Ariadne

I now sat beside a stream that held water that was clean and pure and was very tempting to drink. I had done just that, helping myself to a few handful scoops, relishing in its refreshing flavor.

When my thirst had been satiated, I took a look at myself in the water, and I was suddenly fully aware of how filthy I looked. I could finally feel the sweat and grime that lightly-coated my entire body, with the dried tear trails on my cheeks now feeling uncomfortably sticky. I could also feel that my hair was in a complete mess, feeling tangles and even tiny grains of sand.

At first, I hesitated at the thought of washing up, afraid that somebody might see me. However, I remembered that the part of Naxos I was in now was the inhabited part, and that the nearest civilization was a few days journey by foot. With that thought in mind, I slowly shed the pale yellow dress that I wore and prepared myself for a good wash. But just to be sure, I made sure that I was well hidden.

Not wanting to taint the pure water of the stream with my body filth, I searched for something to scoop up the water with. In the nearby trees, I found a sizable fern leaf that was able to do the job. I then began to use it to scoop up the water of the stream and pour it onto myself. I sighed in relief at the feel of the water on my body, feeling myself getting cleaner and more refreshed.

When I felt absolutely clean with not even a hint of sweat left on my body, I redressed myself in the pale yellow dress, since it was the only form of clothing I had other than my sandals. I ran my fingers through my long wet hair to free it of any stray tangles and sand, pleased to feel none.

The area I was in had a few fruit trees; few of which held fruits that I knew very well were not poisonous. My heart started racing at the thought of the fresh fruits and my stomach began to growl more desperately. Hurriedly, I began to pick an apple from the branch I could reach and took a big bite out of it. I sighed in pleasure at the fresh, sweet and crisp taste on my tongue, eating it slowly to relish the flavor.

As I slowly ate my apple, I began to feel thankful for the woman, Cynthia, for leading me to this place. If it hadn't been for her, I don't know what I would do now.

But at that moment, my mind flashed back to Cynthia. Instantly, I was overwhelmed with curiosity about her.

One thing that made me curious was where she came from. Didn't the stranger from last night tell me that there was nobody that was living on this side of Naxos? If so, where exactly was Cynthia from? Either the stranger was telling me a lie about this side of Naxos being inhabited, or Cynthia simply lived by herself around here. But if it was the latter, then it was strange for a woman like her to be by herself.

Another thing that made me curious was who she was. While she was leading me to this grove by a small river, I had asked her questions about herself, like where did she live, or what did she do, or where she was from. I even asked her why she wanted to be called 'Cynthia' when it was not her real name, and what did she meant when had she had said that she 'watched the wildlands'.

But instead of answering my questions, she just kept mum about it; a clear sign that she was not going to answer it, maybe for personal reasons. I did not attempt to press her for the answers, afraid that I may be annoying her.

But what made me amaze about her was her immense beauty. From the short amount of time I spent with her, I do not think I have never stopped being amazed by how she looked. I don't know why, but she had looks that were too mesmerizing to behold. She was so beautiful that I could not look away for long, even if I wanted to. I felt myself feel pangs that I could never be as beautiful as her, although I also wondered how she managed to look the way she did.

All of a sudden, something inside my head clicked.

I began to recall how the stranger from last night looked, easily remembering how enchantingly handsome he was. And then I thought of the gloriously beautiful Cynthia. Somehow, both the stranger and Cynthia's beauty had stood on par with each other, only differentiated slightly due to their gender.

I did not find it too coincidental that two different people could hold such beauty of a very high scale.

What's more, why was it that I was able to come across two people when there hadn't been any the morning of the day before? Why did they come only after I…

Wait…

Could it be?

Maybe it was just coincidental that they came after I had prayed last night to the deities of Mount Olympus. Maybe the great gods and goddesses had taken mercy on me and sent me the help I had begged them for. The help must have been stranger and Cynthia, both sent by the deities to be my aid.

Besides, didn't the stranger from last night also said that one of the Olympian gods had heard me and will ensure my safety?

All of a sudden, that little bit of information only added fuel to the fire of curiosity that was burning within me. How exactly would he know that a god had heard me? Unless he was a priest, which I doubt he was since he did not look like one, there was no way he could.

Unless…. he had said that on his own will. He had said that to speak for himself.

But that couldn't be it. If he had really done so, then he might be trying to impersonate a god, and I knew very well that impersonating a god and wanting to claim rights was a great and terrible hubris and punishment for it are extremely severe.

But still, the man did come only a few seconds after I had finished praying, which may be more evidence in my suspicions that he had been watching me pray. If he did, then I felt very creeped. But he hadn't done anything to hurt me, so I felt a bit relaxed… for now.

Suddenly, all thoughts of relaxation disappeared when I heard a rustle of leaves nearby. In a flash, my nerves reacted quickly, sending my entire body, including my mind, on high alert.

"Who's there?!" I exclaimed in panic, the half-eaten apple falling out of my hand and onto the ground. My heart started racing and my breathing became frantic. My mind filled itself with images of a harmful predator – either animal or man – about to attack me, at the point where I was completely vulnerable.

I felt myself about to faint from my erratic panic, but was suddenly snapped out of it when I heard a voice.

"Be calm, Ariadne!"

In the direction of the voice, a man emerged out of the trees. My panic was about to rise a notch as the thought of being violated began to haunt me, but it lowered down immensely when I realized who exactly the man was.

It was the stranger!

Now, in broad daylight, I could clearly see how exactly does he look like, and it immediately took my breath away. He was even more stunning than how he looked in the dark; maybe because I could not see his features clearly at the time.

In the brightness of day, I could see his flowing mane of shoulder-length hair was of a dark chestnut brown that seemed lighter in the daylight, and his piercing eyes were a deep light brown that seemed warm and friendly. I now realized that the rest of his face was much defined, and his tall body was well-toned with lean muscle. His peach-toned skin was radiant in the sunlight, enhancing his beauty.

Taking slow steps to me, the stranger said slowly in his melodious voice, "Do not worry, Ariadne. It is only I."

I felt myself become even more dazed as I took in the sight of his beauty and listened to the music of his voice. But I stopped myself from becoming too entranced, not wanting to be gawking at him.

Clearing my throat, I replied, "So it is." Shyly, I tucked a lock of my hair as I continued to look into his mesmerizing eyes. "You came to me," I told him quietly.

"As promised," he replied with a gentle smile.

"Well… Thank you," I said to him shyly, but with graciousness. But then, with curiosity, I asked, "How exactly did you find me here?"

I was truly curious about that. There was no way he knew that I was here, since he wasn't with me when Cynthia took me here. Unless, of course, he knew in _some way_.

Cocking his head to the side as he smiled at me, the stranger replied, "I was just passing by."

His answer was the same answer from last night, when I had first met him. But truly, I did not feel that he was merely 'passing by'. It now seemed to coincidental for him to do such a thing, especially when I was in the same area as he was.

But letting my suspicion aside, I told him, "Alright then. So… thank you very much… For coming back to me."

The stranger bowed his head to me in appreciation before coming closer to take a seat next to me. It was then I was aware that he had a bundled cloth slung on his shoulders, which he then shrugged off and placed it on the grass in front of me.

"What's this?" I asked curiously as his lean fingers worked to untie the bag.

"A gift for you."

Surprise overcame me at his words. A gift?

With utmost curiosity, I leaned forward slightly to look at the contents of the bag when he had finished untying it and opened up the cloth. What I saw was a few folded up pieces of cloth, a silver vial, and a small bunch of plums.

"Oh my…" I breathed, taking in what I was looking at. "I… Thank you so much…"

Taking a piece of dark purple cloth, I unfolded it and found out that it was actually a long dress. It was of very simple design; there were no intricate patterns or any small accessories sewn onto it. But the texture of the silk was incredibly soft and exquisite, and it felt so comfy in my hands.

Fingers caressing the cloth, I smiled to the man. "Really, you don't know how grateful and appreciative I am of this gifts. Thank you…"

But I could not finish my sentence, because I realized that I did not know his name.

"I'm sorry, but I don't think I know your name," I told him upon realization. "I wish to thank you for these gifts properly, if you may."

All of a sudden, the stranger's warm hazel eyes suddenly began to look tense. The small smile on his lips disappeared and only become a light-pursed straight line. I could see the hesitance clearly etching his features, and I wondered why that was so, especially why was he suddenly becoming so nervous just because I had asked for his name.

Feeling slightly worried and bit embarrassed, I looked down at the purple dress in my lap and started to twiddle my fingers; a habit I do whenever I was nervous. "I'm sorry if my question has offended you," I told him quietly. "It is alright if you do not want to tell me."

Slowly looking up at him again, I was surprised when all signs of tension and hesitancy had completely disappeared from his features, instead now looking very understanding and friendly. The smile had even returned to his lips, now only looking a bit more bigger and more attractive.

"Call me Dion," he told me cheerily.

Hearing his name, I smiled, glad to know that he was not going to be secretive about his name as I thought he might be.

"Dion," I said softly. "That's a very nice name."

It was a perfect name, in fact. It suited him somehow; as though he was made for that name. However, I recalled how tensed and hesitant he had looked when I had first asked him for his name, and I then began to wonder if 'Dion' was even his real name.

Dion's smile widened. "Thank you. I will have to say the same for you too. Ariadne… A beautiful name for a beautiful girl," he complimented cheerily.

A blush started to bloom on my cheeks, slowly spreading throughout my face. I could feel myself getting warm with flattery, not completely believing that a handsome stranger had actually complimented my name and called me 'beautiful'.

Shyness was evident in my voice when I replied, "Thank you…" I willed myself to give him a smile, to show him how much I was flattered with what he had said. As a token of thanks, I took the most vibrant dark purple of the few purple plums and offered it to him. He chuckled and said his thanks before taking a good bite out of it.

While Dion ate, I looked through the rest of the things in the bag. The folded cloths were all dresses, all seeming to be in my size. I put those in my lap, with the unfolded purple dress, and then picked up the vial. Holding it in my hand, I realized that it was made of pure silver. I wondered if Dion was rich to own such a vial made of expensive metal.

I could hear liquid swishing inside the vial. "What's in it?" I wondered, my fingers working to unscrew the cap.

When it finally came off, I was immediately struck by the most exquisite aroma I have ever inhaled in my entire life. I breathed in the delicious scent of something tart and fruity – maybe grapes – with a hint of sweet honey and sharp spices. The perfume was heavenly and intoxicating, and I could feel myself become somewhat light-headed when the scent filled my lungs.

Awestruck, I sighed in pleasure, "By the Gods, this is very divine! What is this, Dion?"

As he finished up the last bit of plum, he looked at the vial that was in my hand, and smiled. "Ah, that would be wine, Ariadne. Made out of the ripest dark purple grapes, mixed with the sweetest fresh honey of honeycombs and the most aromatic spices on the island. One of the best of the batches, from where I am from."

I frowned in confusion at the silver vial in my hand. "Wine?" I said curiously. "Why have you given me wine?"

"Just in case you ever feel thirsty," he said, giving a nonchalant shrug.

Wine was indeed such a strange gift to give someone that he had only met the night before, what's more when I had snapped at him haughtily when he had asked me the question of what had happened to me. But I guess Dion was not the type of person to hold no hard feelings, and was quite easy to forgive. Maybe that's why he had given me an exquisite gift of wine.

But still, I did not trust him enough to drink the wine. Call me scared, but like I had mentioned, wine was indeed a strange gift, especially between two complete strangers. What's more, I did not know exactly what was in it. For all I know, it could have been drugged, handled in the wrong hands.

Dion must have seen the hesitance on my face, because he told me with a frown, "You need not drink it now if you do not wish to."

Discretely letting out a sigh of relief, I recapped the vial and set it down on top of the folded dresses. Silence ensued after that. It was a nice type of silence at first, but then it slowly became to be more awkward. It was partly my part to play; I did not know what exactly to converse about with the handsome man sitting beside me. I kept my eyes focused on the waters of the stream as I thought about what to say.

Hesitantly, I then turned my head to the side to look at Dion, and was completely taken aback when I saw that he was already looking at me. His deep eyes were bright, and a smile graced his perfect lips. The smile was nothing else but warm and comforting.

Somehow, seeing that smile on his face made me feel ease at my heart, but I don't know why. Nevertheless, I smiled back for him. But it was then I realized that I had actually given him a real smile, despite the pain I still felt.

I did not why I had done so.

* * *

Author's Note:

Had some minor writer's block on this chapter, while also worrying for future chapters which I have trouble planning out. I'm trying hard to not make the pacing too slow but yet not too fast, and I am also trying carefully to progress Dionysus and Ariadne's relationship in an acceptable pacing. Wouldn't want them falling in love too quick without a few problems here and there, do we?

Seriously working my butt off, guys. But because I love all of you, I'm willing to try and make things work out. I'm only hoping you guys would love it in the end!

Next update: Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	8. PART 1: Chapter 7

_**Part 1: Chapter 7**_

Ariadne

When I had eaten the purple plums that had been brought for me, I had expressed concerns to Dion about being by myself in the grove.

When Cynthia had left me there, I had actually pleaded for her to stay with me, because I did not enjoy the thought of being left alone in the forest, terrified with thoughts of wild beasts that could attack me at any point of time. I told her that I wish for her to stay with me, telling her that her comforting presence was able to put me at ease.

She refused gently, telling me that she had other duties to the wildlands that she needed to perform and fulfill. But she had gently placed her hand upon my head and reassured me with a warm smile that the grove was under 'protection' and that nothing would hurt me there. Why she had said this and how she had known, I do not know, but I felt comforted to trust her word on that.

Dion told me nearly the same thing, saying that the grove I was in was reputed to be a sacred grove of a goddess and that anyone who has taken refuge in it shall be under her protection on the condition that they do not vandalize it and that they give their utmost respect towards it. Even though he did not say which goddess, I could guess that he was referring to Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild, who held patronage over the entire world's wildands. Taking his words into heart, I vowed to myself to respect the grove I resided in and, if possible, make some offerings to her in exchange for her allowance of letting me stay in the grove.

After a while, Dion had stood up and gave me one of his hands, telling me that he wished to take me on a walk up the stream so that I would be better familiar with the grove I was to be in. Usually, I would have considered with much thought whether I would wish to go with him, since it seemed so out of the blue that he wished for me to walk with him.

But seeing the warm smile that still lingered on his lips, it made me certain to take his hand and accept his offer.

XXX

I will admit that I have solely been in the company of a man before. As a princess, I was regularly given offers of courtship by my father's court men or by their sons. Not wanting to be rude by refusing them flat-down, I accepted to go on outings with them just to entertain. But while remaining civil and polite as a princess, I made it very clear of my lack of interest in them, so that they would take the hint and do not seek my hand any further.

I thought that it would stay that way, until Theseus came.

I felt my heart clench at the thought of him again, and I forced myself to block out every single thought of him in my mind so that I did not break down once again. I still felt worn out from all the crying I did yesterday, and my heart still felt cracked from the awful thought of being betrayed. I swore to myself that I will no longer shed any tears for that manipulating bastard.

But luckily, I was thankfully distracted at the moment, because I was currently taking a lonely walk with Dion.

* * *

Dionysus

In her silence, I could feel her guarding herself.

It was obvious in the way her arms were loosely crossed as she walked in small steps while maintaining a space of about my arm's length between us. I knew very well that Ariadne was trying to attribute this to shyness, but in reality, it was to cover up her hesitancy and anxiety of being with me, a man she did not know.

As we walked by the side of the stream, she kept her pretty grey-green eyes ahead, although I would catch her stealing glances at me from the corners. If she saw me looking at her as she secretly looked at me, a faint blush would form on her cheeks before she turned away in embarrassment.

I did not comment, but I would smile.

So far, the walk upstream had been quiet; both of us doing our own sight-seeing. Once in a few minutes, Ariadne would make some comment about the weather or the flowers or the birds. Her tongue was prim, proper and polite; both with her words and the structures of her sentences. It was almost as though she had been taught to talk like that, like a proper lady. One simply could not have been born with a tongue as etiquette as hers.

I answered her with the same form of politeness, flashing her a smile and chuckling heartily. However, in the inside, I felt suffocated, and slightly frustrated. I did not want to talk about such insignificant matters like the flowers. I truly could not give a damn whether they had a sweet perfume or their petals were in a lovely shade of periwinkle blue. Such mundane topics could bore me to tears.

Instead, I wanted to know about Ariadne. I wanted to finally gain knowledge of who she was and what had happened to her. The longer I wait, the more curious I become. The lust to know her was just like my lust for wine; if I did not get the knowledge into my system, I would feel so very agitated.

But I held back with all the self-restraint I possessed. I had to remind myself time and time again that it would take a while until she would finally tell me. I had all the time in the world, so that should not be a problem for me. Forcing her to tell me would only result in frightening her, and that was _not _what I wanted to do to a poor soul like her. Besides, I might as well take the time to get to know her properly, whilst still under the guise of a seemingly-normal man named 'Dion'.

So far, being under a fake identity was, honestly, quite fun. I could play pretend, while ultimately hiding my true identity from Ariadne.

"Dion?"

I turned to look at her at the sudden call of my 'name'. "Yes, Ariadne?"

The minute I set my eyes upon her, I immediately saw hesitance and uncertainty etched into her lovely facial features. Her arms were still crossed, but her hands were rubbing the other's forearm. She was fidgeting lightly on her feet, her toes curling continuously. She looked at me anxiously as she bit gently on the corner of her full bottom lip (something that, for some reason, I found quite _attractive_). She clearly had something to ask me, but she was contemplating whether or not to do so.

So to make things easier for her, I asked politely, "Do you have a question?"

I could see some relief in her eyes appear and she nodded her head meekly. "I do," she replied, finally relaxing herself by letting go of her arms and letting them stay at her side, and stopping her foot-fidgeting.

"Then ask," I said with a small smile. "It's alright to ask."

Ariadne nodded again in understanding and started taking just a step closer to lessen the distance between us. That notion made me assume that she was beginning to feel comfortable in my presence. It was then I wondered if she was finally going to tell me what had happened to her.

With a deep breath, Ariadne finally asked me, "It's about someone I met just this morning."

I felt myself get disappointed that it was not about the subject that I wished to converse with her about. Nonetheless, I paid attention to her, despite the fact that I knew who she was talking about before she even got to the explaining part.

"This morning, when I first woke up, there was a woman. She told me that she knows I was here because – she said – that she 'watched the wildlands' and 'the wildlands watched me', so she was, in a way, watching me. I guess she must be some sort of priestess, because she was wearing a white robe with a hood drawn up over her head. Oh! And she asked me to call her Cynthia, because she said that she did not want to tell me her real name."

On the outside, I kept an attentive façade and listened to her words carefully. On the inside, I wanted to chuckle at the thought that Artemis too had used a cover name, and it became even more amusing that, like me, she was technically still using her name, because 'Cynthia' was one of her many names. 'Cynthia' meaning 'of Mount Cynthus', since Artemis had been born on Mount Cynthus at the island of Delos.

Feigning curiosity in my voice, I inquired, "Really now? And what did she do to you?"

Taking a few steps closer to me, Ariadne answered, "Well, it was she who brought me to the grove I was in just this morning. She must be very knowledgeable of the area to know a cozy area that holds plenty of fruit trees and a stream of clean water, and for that I am very thankful." But then, with a small frown, she added, "However, I find her quite strange."

"Why so?" I asked, genuinely curious this time.

Casually looking all around her surroundings, she replied, "Even though Cynthia was very kind to me, she was also very elusive. She did not speak most of the time, only when needed. When I asked her questions about herself, she did not even reply. She would just look at me with a blank gaze before looking away. I would call her rude, but I thought that maybe she just did not feel like talking."

Suddenly, looking directly at me, she then asked, "However, I thought you said that the nearest village was all the way on the other side of Naxos. If so, then why was Cynthia here?"

In a flash, she suddenly changed from curious and guarded to questioning and confused. "In fact, why is it that _you _are here? Who are you with here? You did say that you were from somewhere, right? Are you from a village? If you are, then why do you not take me there, where maybe I would be able to seek refuge?"

As Ariadne advanced upon me with questions, I backed up a few steps and brought my palms up to my shoulders, as though telling her to not come any closer. Noticing this, she suddenly stopped and clamped her hand over her mouth.

"Goodness…" she said in a voice that was muffled by her hand. "I am so very sorry! I did not mean to be so invasive!"

Ariadne's cheeks suddenly burned a bright red from embarrassment, and I couldn't help but chuckle in amusement. That only helped to increase the brightness of her cheeks.

In between chuckles, I said, "No need to fret, Ariadne. Although I will admit that there are too many questions for me to answer, with some that I simply cannot answer."

Hearing that, she released her hand from her mouth and asked with a frown, "Which questions?"

At that, I frowned. Did she not just apologize for being invasive a few seconds ago? She was being quite invasive right now. Maybe this was her typical behavior for her to continue to pester for answers, even if one had already told her that she would not get it.

However, I kept my cool and just answered her nonchalantly, "Like the question of whether I am from a village. I will say little by telling you that I come from a group, but I cannot tell you of what sort."

Seeing her lips part to question me further, I raised a hand instantaneously to stop her and I immediately interjected, "I am from a cult, and I cannot just speak of it with a stranger like you."

I immediately felt like I wanted to regret the fact that I gave an answer. I let off more than I intended to. But I reassured myself that I managed to not get _too _into detail, so my secret was still safe.

On the other hand, I somehow felt like my answer had come off a little bit harsh. I was only more certain of that when I saw Ariadne look taken aback, clearly finally getting the fact that I did not want to discuss such topics about myself for her.

She looked somewhat irritated and disappointed about not getting a proper answer, but she did not continue to press me for answers. In a quiet voice, she said, "Very well, then. I will not ask. And like I had said before, I apologize for being so evasive. It was truly not my intentions."

I willed myself to give her a bow of my head, as a way to show that she was forgiven. Silence ensued afterwards, quite to my dislike. I did not like silence; considering that I was naturally loud, silence was too suffocating for me.

Wanting to break the silence, and hear Ariadne's sweet voice once again, I asked in fake curiosity, "What did this 'Cynthia' look like?"

Looking up from the forest floor, Ariadne replied in earnest, "Well, I am certainly not lying when I say that the only one word to describe her is 'beautiful'. I mean, really! She must be one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. Even more than those who resided in my father's palace…"

All of a sudden, she gasped, and by the look in her eyes, I could tell that she had not intended to say the last few words. She looked mortified, clearly regretting what she had just said and wishing to take it back somehow.

However, I was glad that she did, because I had finally got her right where I wanted; one step closer to revealing her true identity.

Feeling my curiosity burn aflame once again, I questioned, "'Palace'?"

Ariadne looked panicked. "I… I…"

Taking a careful step closer to her, I asked in honest curiosity, "Are you a princess, Ariadne? A Princess of Crete?"

My question caused a new rising anxiety in her eyes, but she knew very well that she had been caught, and had no choice but to tell the truth. Ariadne exhaled a low sigh and meekly nodded her head. "Yes, Dion…" she admitted quietly. "I am… Or more currently, I _was_."

"Why is that?"

"Because… Because…"

Her voice was strained, and I could sense a wave of tears threatening to break out of it. Her eyes, which were now looking upwards at the tree canopies, looked as though they were starting to moisten. Her lips were pursed, and I caught sight of a faint motion of quivering.

Whatever she was going to say was certainly not going to be pleasant for her; that I could tell, and started to worry.

"Because…" Ariadne tried again, while I continued to wait for her to finish her sentence. But then, she suddenly said in a more quieter voice, "I cannot tell you…"

Once again, my frustration grew a notch.

"Why not?" I questioned as I felt myself frown. I will admit that I was getting slightly irritated, because just when I thought I could get the truth from her, she had to be all secretive once again. I did not want any of this nonsense of not being to tell me what had happened to her. All I wanted was to just know what happened to her. If I did, I might be done with it and even leave, satisfied that I finally managed to quench my curiosity.

At that precise moment, Ariadne started to guard herself once again. Her arms crossed as she hugged herself protectively, she avoided my gaze by looking to the side – with her pale blonde hair falling to cover half her face – and her voice replied indignantly, "Dion, you ask me to not question you about where you are from, and I respected that. So I only see it fair that you too do not question me of my predicament if I do not wish to tell you."

Suddenly, I felt angry and even more frustrated that she had used my own tactic against me. She was also starting to become like her rude persona from last night, something that irked me so.

_Clever girl…_ I thought to myself angrily.

When Ariadne turned to look at me once again, her expression went from guarded to worried at the sight of the expression on my face. Immediately, she got out of her 'protective' stance and took slow steps towards me.

"Dion, please. I can only ask for you to respect my privacy," she said to me in a pleading yet firm tone of voice. "I know that you wish to know me, but I simply cannot tell you, because even thinking of it makes me feel strain and distress." Taking another few steps closer to me, she continued on gently, "You are still a stranger to me, and it is a common logic for anyone to not trust strangers, and natural to not confide in strangers with their qualms and problems. You cannot expect me to reveal everything about myself after only a few hours of knowing me, even if you wish to know a lot about me. But the thing is – "

At that moment, my anger and frustration lessened slightly. "What?" I inquired.

Looking up to hold my gaze, Ariadne said, "I really do not know why, but somehow, I partly do wish to trust you. I'm sorry to say that it does seem really foolish of me to want to trust you, but you have been nothing but patient and helpful to me since you found me last night. You seem to be a good man. But please do know that I have a choice on whether or not I would want to trust you. And if I do wish to do so, I can only trust you slowly, because I do not know you as much as you do not know me."

Her words remained stuck in my head, and I could not help but be enchanted by the truthfulness in it. As a god, I could tell easily when a mortal was lying; I could sense the lie hidden in their words, regardless of whether or not they were good liars. And it was clear in Ariadne that she was not lying to me.

Furthermore, she does seem earnest in wanting to trust me, although I could feel her holding back, seemingly hesitant at the thought of trusting me. The topic of trust was quite a big deal to her, and I could only guess that it must have something to do with the 'betrayal' she had mentioned last night, possibly committed by that Theseus.

Immediately, I would understand why she did not want to trust me.

Feeling my anger subside gradually until it was no more, I let out a sigh and nodded my head in understanding. "Very well then, Ariadne. I will respect your decision, and I promise that I will not pry too much," I said to her respectfully.

Satisfied that I finally seemed to understand, Ariadne gave me a small smile and bowed her head graciously. But then, I continued on.

"However, do know that I do wish for you to trust me as much as I want to trust you, seeing that I intend to make sure that your presence on this island is safe and I do wish to know you. I can only hope that you are willing to at least try."

The look on her face was one of uncertainty and hesitance, but I could tell that she was contemplating her decision underneath her façade. Her eyes seemed thoughtful for a while, trying to make up her mind.

Finally, she said to me, "Alright, Dion. I will try. However, I can make no promises."

Maybe not the answer that I had wanted to hear, but it was good enough nonetheless.

XXX

My walk with Ariadne had led us to the source of the stream; a small freshwater lake located near the bases of hills and mountains. Ariadne had been entranced and mesmerized by it, and was clearly glad that she had managed to find such a beautiful sight.

I only stood aside and watched as she explored the lake, and I couldn't help but enjoy the sight of her smiling and looking amazed. Somehow, that sight did wonders to me, showing me just how much beauty Ariadne held underneath the façade of her emotional distraught state.

But it was then I noticed that the sun had begun to set, and I knew that it was time for me to return to my camp. My followers were probably wondering wherever had I went off to during the entire day, but I was sure to not tell them.

I told Ariadne that I had to leave, and that I wished to walk her back to the grove. She clearly seemed disappointed, and curious about wherever I was about to head off to. But she simply said 'Alright' and followed me by the side.

The walk hadn't truly been long. Probably about fifteen minutes or so. But the sky had already turned a dark orange when the both of us had finally returned.

Just when I was about to leave, I noticed that her eyes started to look frightened and worried, and I knew that it was the thought of being left alone in that grove that made her so. I pitied her then, knowing that it was natural for mortals – especially females – to cower at the thought of being alone, when they were the most vulnerable.

To give her some comfort, I assured her that the sacred grove was safe, and that the goddess who owned it will watch her and protect it. My voice was truthful and I really was not lying when I had told her that, since Artemis herself had given her word.

I promised her that I will surely return to her tomorrow to give her my company once again, so that she need not feel alone. I also told her to just remain in the grove for the whole night, and that she was not to venture out into the surroundings no matter what happened. Ariadne, still looking worrisome but slightly more comforted, promised that she wouldn't, and finally managed to bid me goodbye until the next day.

I returned the gesture and finally walked away, continuing to look back at her until she had finally disappeared from my sight when I walked into the growth.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, it nearly did not go so well, what with Ariadne's hesitancy and Dionysus' urge to know the truth about her. But thankfully, they managed to set it aside, with Ariadne revealing that she does want to trust him, but she just can't at the moment!

Well, well! Things seem to be looking quite well right now! With the next chapter, a certain someone will come back to give Dionysus just what he wants about Ariadne!

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	9. PART 1: Chapter 8

_**Part 1: Chapter 8**_

Dionysus

Just as the dying rays of the sun was slowly disappearing from the sky, soon to be taken over by the darkness of the night, I reached the campsite, which was now buzzing with energy as my followers await the beginning of our nightly festivities. The only thing stopping them from quickly descending from drunken revelry was me; they needed my word to start to finally be able to enjoy the ecstasy that they craved and lusted for.

But the minute I stepped into the clearing's boundaries, I was approached by one of the satyrs.

"My Lord," he greeted with a bow. "Lord Hermes had arrived a few minutes prior, wishing to speak with you."

I felt surprised. Hermes was here? Well, this was quite unexpected, and on such a very short notice. I hadn't expected to see my half-brother any time soon.

At that moment, another approached me. Turning my head to the new guest, I realized that it was Hermes himself. His pale blonde hair looked freshly wind-blown, indicating how recently he had arrived. But despite having his winged sandals on, he had his feet on the ground, walking. That, I had to admit, was quite a strange sight to see. Most of the time I have ever seen him, he was always off the ground and in the air.

Hermes beamed at me the instance he met my gaze. "Hello, Dionysus," he greeted cheerily. "Glad to know that you've finally arrived. I was getting a bit bored of waiting."

Hearing his last remark made me smirk and roll my eyes. Dismissing the satyr with a wave of my hand, I replied to Hermes, "Well, seems like you might have to wait a few minutes more, dear brother. First, I have to get this party started."

XXX

Hermes stayed for the night, watching with keen interest at how my followers surrendered to the ecstasy of wine and lost every control of their being as they behaved wildly with the loud and erratic tune and beat of the music being played. I could see it in the way his eyes widened at the sight that he was in a disbelieving, yet curious state.

I had thought of joining my followers once again in the merry-making, but for the sake of the inexperienced Hermes, I remained seated on my throne and watched the revelry, drinking chalice after chalice of wine, not fully succumbing to its high. My two favorite panthers were once again at my feet, acting as my personal 'guards'. The female had given a warning glare at the sight of Hermes, but nonetheless left him alone. However, Hermes too stayed clear of the panther's path.

"So, what do you think?" I asked him curiously, gesturing with a tip of my chalice to the on-going frenzy before us.

Standing beside my throne and not tearing his eyes away from the sight, his own chalice of wine dangling in between his fingertips, Hermes replied, "I thought having to travel far distances everyday was tough, but I really do not know how you can handle this. It seems like…" His spring green eyes suddenly widened when he caught sight of a drunken satyr and Maenad mating like wild animals in heat among the revelry, and he brought his chalice to his lips and took a big gulp before saying to end, "Too much work…"

I bellowed out in laughter at his words. "Well, this is nothing to me!" I replied, my voice loud and proud. "All of this to me is as easy as a breeze! No one can handle a drunken frenzy as professionally as me!"

"I can see that!" Hermes replied immediately with a laugh of his own before taking another gulp of his red wine.

The next few seconds was spent in silence as we listened to the crazy music and watched the wild acts taking place. But the more I stayed quiet, the more I slowly came to remember that Hermes had come here for a reason.

"Oh, by the way. Why are you here for?" I asked him, my head lolling to the side to look at him. It was at that moment that I could feel the high of the wine slowly taking over me. I could feel its pleasurable numbing effects seeping into my veins, mingling with the ichor that flowed within them.

Hermes did not seem to be too affected by the wine when he turned to look at me. Well, it must be considering the fact that he was still on his second chalice while I must be on what I assumed was my tenth.

"Hmm?" he said, looking quite a bit dazed. But immediately, his eyes widened in realization as he recalled. "Oh, yes! I came here bringing you what information I have managed to gather on that mortal girl you talked about it."

All of a sudden, the slow numbing sensation in my veins disappeared suddenly, as though snuffed out by the fire of curiosity that suddenly went aflame in me. I jolted upright in my throne, keeping my eyes attentive on him.

Hermes began with the words, "I found out that her name is – "

Before he could even finish his sentence, I suddenly cut him off by answering, "Ariadne."

He suddenly had not expected me to answer, indicated in the way he stared at me in surprise. "How did you know?" he asked,

Keeping my eyes attentive on him, I replied, "I have met her."

Raising an eyebrow curiously, he inquired, "So you know that she is –"

Once again, before he could answer, I cut him off. "A Princess of Crete."

"Or, more specifically, a _former _Princess of Crete, but now the great island's recent exiled traitor," he continued on. "But I assumed you know why that is so. Honestly, what was the point of me having to find out for you when you could have found out about it yourself?"

I shook my head immediately. "No, I do not know why that is so," I admitted to him. "When I had asked her of it, the girl would always rebuff and refuse to answer my questions, stating that it is a private matter that she did not wish to discuss." Then, with a low sigh, I said, "Honestly, even though I have known her for only a day, I am getting tired of her being so elusive. I need the answers."

And it was then I felt relief that I could finally get the answers; not from her, but from another reliable source, which came in the form of Hermes. He always knew what was going on in the mortal realms, and I was glad that he knew the answer to my curiosity.

With a smile, Hermes said, "Glad to know that my work and time had not gone to waste. Do you want the long story or the short story?"

"What's the short story?"

"She committed treason against the royal family," Hermes answered quickly.

Well, that did not really answer my questions. Partly, yes, but not completely. I needed more details, the full story.

"And the long story?" I inquired.

His smile turned into a grin, and he moved closer and sat down on the ground right next to my throne, nonchalantly petting the head of the male panther that was resting at my feet. Unlike its female partner, the male did not mind him so much and just allowed him to do so without a glare or a growl.

"Oh, a very interesting tale indeed! A tale of seduction, noble acts, lies and betrayals!" Hermes exclaimed heartily. "I don't think I have ever come across a story like this Ariadne's!"

My curiosity increased then as I got more interested in what he had to say. "Why's that?"

Now smirking, Hermes told me, "Once I'm done, you'll be on the edge of your throne. This is indeed a story that might quirk your interests."

* * *

Ariadne

My eyes flew open and I responsively sat up from where I was sleeping on the grass, a soft gasp that was full of shock escaping from my parted lips.

In the distance, I could clearly hear screaming and shouting. It was shrill, but it sounded so unreal and frightening. It sounded so frightening that it managed to send a shiver running down my spine and made my skin break out in goose-flesh. I could feel sweat starting to bead my forehead from the fear that erupted within me.

When I had first heard the noise, the first thing I started to assume was that it was someone in danger. The danger I thought of could be many possibilities, ranging from being eaten by a wild beast or being assaulted by ruthless men. The fear within me started spreading throughout my entire being at the thought that whatever possible dangers that was out there might be able to find me.

Quickly yet quietly, I hid myself in the forest, sitting down and trying to make myself as hidden as possible by bringing my knees to my chest and staying like that. With my lips clamped shut to prevent any noise from spilling out and my eyes darting in all directions to ensure that nothing was coming to me, I listened in fear to the continued screaming and shouting.

But as the minutes passed by, I suddenly realized that the cries did not sound like those of pain or anguish. Instead, it started to sound like those of drunken amusement. In fact, I realized there were erratic laughter and giggles mingling in the cries.

All thoughts of whoever it was that might be in danger disappeared from my mind, now being replaced of thoughts of nearby drunk people who were simply not acting in the right mind, having become too influenced by alcohol.

As I remained silent, I began to wonder where those people had come from. Once again, I began to doubt that the part of Naxos that I was in was inhabited. My encounters with Dion and Cynthia had started the doubt, but hearing those cries only served to fuel my doubt. Now, I wondered if Dion had simply lied to me about this part of Naxos being inhabited, and if so, why would he do it?

_Maybe I should just go and investigate the noises…_ I thought to myself. _Who knows? I might be able to find help_…

But just as I was about to get out of my crouch, Dion's words suddenly flashed into my mind.

_Ariadne, all I advise you to do is to never leave this grove. No matter what happens, be it you hear something or you saw something, never leave this grove. Safety will not be with you the very second you venture out by yourself._

The warning in his words continued to ring in my head, and slowly, I got back into my crouch, staying where I was. As I stayed, the sounds of ecstatic screaming and drunken laughter continued to sound in the distance.

One thing's for sure, I was not going to sleep tonight.

* * *

Dionysus

"In truth, it was Ariadne who was the true mastermind of the slaying of the Minotaur. If it hadn't been for her, Theseus would not be alive today."

Hermes' words made me surprise. "What? How is that?" I asked, frowning in curiosity.

Setting his half-empty chalice down beside him, he explained, "In Crete, it is rule that the fourteen chosen Athenian tributes must not carry anything with them into the Labyrinth except for the clothes on their bodies. Any weapon brought with them beforehand is immediately taken away by the royal guards. Theseus, despite being the very Prince of Athens, was not made an exception to this rule, and had his father's sword – the only weapon he had brought with him – taken away."

"But didn't he slay the Minotaur with his father's sword?" I questioned, starting to recall the bits of the story I had heard before. "How did he manage to bring that into the Labyrinth?"

"Ah, that is where Ariadne comes in. A bit of explanation first. You see, Ariadne is the one and only guardian of the Labyrinth, and it is her duty to lead the tributes in and announce of their arrival to the Minotaur, her monstrous half-brother. She ensures that the motions of the sacrifice go smoothly and that nothing disturbs the normal proceedings. But this year, she sees Thesues, and the Princess of Crete had been smitten by the Prince of Athens. Once Theseus found out about this, he used it to his advantage. So naïvely infatuated was Ariadne with him that she allowed herself to be bedded by him the night before he was to meet his supposed death, thinking that he was attracted to her like she was attracted to him."

For some reason, I felt a clenching in my heart at the realization that what I had assumed was correct. So this Theseus _was _Ariadne's lover. No wonder she had called for his name so desperately and with so much yearning the day before, when I had first seen her. I don't know why, but knowing that new fact made me feel weird on the inside; as though I was _not _pleased to hear that.

But it was then I had remembered that Ariadne had mentioned in her prayer last night that she was betrayed by a man who swayed her with sweet nothings, who I know was Theseus. And judging by Hermes' words, something about this Theseus seemed off.

"He did not really love her, did he?" I questioned in a murmur as the realization hit me. "He only used her, knowing that she would help him if he pretended to reciprocate her feelings."

Hermes nodded. "You got that right. Fortunately for Theseus, his plan worked. Ariadne did not want to let her 'one true love' perish in the Labyrinth, so, using the advantage of her royal title, she managed to gain access into the armory and steal his sword, giving it to him to smuggle in minutes prior he entered, along with a clue of thread."

"A clue of thread?"

"Upon the advice of her tutor, she gave the clue of thread to Theseus for him to mark his way in and out of the Labyrinth, so that he would not get lost in the dangerous and confusing maze," Hermes explained to me. "She told him in secret of what to do, and he pretended to be thankful by promising her that he once he escaped, he would take her back to Athens to make her his bride."

Again, my heart clenched, only feeling more tighter now. I could feel my lips pursing into a grimace.

Hermes continued on after taking another sip of his wine. "So in the end, Theseus emerged out of the Labyrinth with all the other thirteen tributes. But he did not come out empty-handed. In his hands was the severed head of the gruesome Minotaur, which he promptly threw at the feet of the Cretan King. The minute the beast's blood spilled onto the ground, the whole of Crete went into madness."

In my head, I could imagine the loud shock and disbelief at hearing that the ferocious beast of the Labyrinth had been slain, and by just one man. The imagined sounds were drowned out by the reals shrieks and laughter of the revelry that was still on-going.

"The Cretan King Minos was not pleased. No, he was absolutely furious. He knew that if there was no more Minotaur, there would be no more tributes to avenge his son Androgeus, who had met his death at the hands of Athenians. He wanted to murder Theseus for killing the beast, even though the hero had been promised freedom if he did. But the King realized that he could not have done it alone, and he knew only one person responsible."

I knew the answer then.

"Ariadne," I muttered.

"Yes," Hermes confirmed. "Truth be told, Ariadne was found guilty of treason, and was promptly stripped of her title of Princess of Crete and Guardian of the Labyrinth. But Minos wanted her dead; wanted to kill her for bringing the downfall of a 'tradition'. Fortunately for her, Ariadne managed to escape her father's wrath, taking with her only her younger sister Phaedra onto Theseus' ship."

Then with a sigh, Hermes remarked, "Unfortunately, she did not stay on that ship for it to reach Athens."

I finished the story for him then. "Theseus abandoned her here, on Naxos. He had no more need for her, and so he left her here to die."

Hermes remained quiet, but nodded.

At that moment, I was so consumed with hate for that Theseus. I have never met this 'hero', but the stories of him were not one to impress me. It only made me gain a great dislike for his vile actions. I could feel myself scowling at the thought of him giving such a false promise to Ariadne, the girl who – albeit foolishly – gave up everything in her life to save his own pathetic one. If it had not been for her, he wouldn't have lived to see the sun's light, destined to perish in the darkness of the Labyrinth and by its Minotaur.

"Some 'hero'," I seethed under my breath. "And what has happened to him, now that Ariadne's no longer a part of his plans?"

"Ah, that is an interesting thing to ask," Hermes replied. "Apparently, he discarded Ariadne in favor of her sister Phaedra."

Now that made me mad.

"What?!" I exclaimed in outrage, shocking not only Hermes, but the two panthers at my feet as well, whose heads shot up and looked up at me with alert. "He discarded Ariadne on the island of Naxos, and just for her sister?!"

Now, I know that I myself have left women for another, and it must have been hypocritical of me to talk about Theseus that way. But I have never, ever left a woman to die, especially if it was because I just got bored of her. Even though I know that gods have a streak of cruelty that was meant to be feared by mortals, I did not see any reason to inflict cruelty upon one without reason. I do not know why. Maybe it was because of the fact that I wasn't a pure-bred god from the beginning. Many had said that I had a side of me that they thought of as my 'human' side, since I was usually able to be on a certain level of understanding with the humans than most of the gods.

"Hmph, apparently so," Hermes replied, returning to his drink and watching the revelry. Then it was silent between us, him keeping quiet while I continued to fume in silent anger.

After a few quiet moments that were filled with the sounds of high ecstasy, Hermes asked, "How is Ariadne now, if I may ask?"

Swirling the leftover wine in my chalice, I replied, "She's fine now. This morning, I had asked for Artemis to give her shelter and protection in the wildlands. Under her care, Ariadne is sure to be safe while she's here."

At the mention of the goddess' name, Hermes spring green eyes brighten up noticeably. "Artemis?" he said the name sweetly with glee.

I rolled my eyes at him. I knew very well of his secret love for Artemis. It was not just simple passion or desire; I believed that his feelings for her were true genuine love. I was probably the only one who knew, having found out on my own. Hermes had told me that it was one of his most well-kept secrets and he trusted me to not tell anyone, to which I vowed an oath upon Styx to not do so. When I had inquired as to why he would not make his affections known, he admitted to me that he was afraid that, if he did, Artemis would rebuff him, and Apollo would bring wrath upon him for even daring to feel such things for his sister.

"Snap out of it, lover boy. This isn't the time," I muttered.

He seemed to do so, for he suddenly cleared his throat and muttered, "Right. Sorry." And then, he asked, "By the way, how did you manage to convince Artemis for such a favor? I have heard few of those who managed to gain a favor out of her. What did you do to convince her?"

I shrugged and sipped my wine. "Not much, really," I admitted to him. "I just had to give her reason and make her see that reason. Anything, just to get her to help Ariadne."

When I had finished my words, I noticed a change in Hermes. His eyes were narrowed, had gone from being curious to questionable, as he looked at me in contemplation. It was as though he was trying to find something in _me_.

"What?"

With his eyes still studying me, he asked, "What is it about this Ariadne that makes you want to know her?"

His question had surprised me, and I soon found myself entering a train of thought. It was then I realized; what was it about Ariadne that made me want to know her?

Was it because of her beauty?

Was it because of how distressed she looked when I found her?

Was it because I was curious to know about her story?

Or… was it something else?

It must be something else; I couldn't see my other guesses as the correct choice. It _had _to be something else that made me want to get to know her. Something that made me want to help her. Something that made me want to get close to her.

But the problem was, what was it?

"I… I don't really know," I admitted to Hermes, my voice questionable and confused.

* * *

Author's Note:

So, in Dionysus' thinking, the first thing to do before getting to know about Ariadne herself is to get to know all about her from someone else! Great idea, Dion... (Talk about being a tad _too _desperate!) But this isn't the end of Dionysus getting information about Ariadne from outside sources!

By the way, what exactly is that noise that Ariadne heard in the forest?

Until Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	10. PART 1: Chapter 9

_**Part 1: Chapter 9**_

Dionysus

It was just a few minutes after sunrise when the music finally died down. All over the ground, Maenads and satyrs lay sleeping, all completely dead-drunk and worn out from last night's wildness. It will only be a matter of hours before they would finally sober up and be back on their feet once again. The more sober ones were already performing duties throughout the camp, although they were obviously a bit dizzy in their steps.

This morning marked an occasion where I was not even drunk or high. Because I had stayed chaste with wine with Hermes, who had left just a little after midnight, I was still able to stand without swaying and talk without slurring. Even my vision was clear enough to see the first rosy fingers of Eos take over the dawn sky.

However, I had spoken too soon, for I started to realize then how very tired I was. My body was yearning for sleep, and my eyes were feeling heavy. Instead of fighting against the growing urge, I allowed myself to succumb to it and made my way to my tent, where I fell asleep the minute my head touched the pillows.

I was awoken later when I felt a rough tongue licking my face gently. Groaning, thinking that it was one of the Maenads, I opened my eyes slowly, but was washed with relief when I realized that it was just a small leopard cub.

I got out, with the baby leopard in my arms before I released it, and saw that it was afternoon, judging by the sun's position in the now bright blue sky. I could see most of my followers were up on their feet now, having finally sobered. Although, there were still a few sleeping bodies on the ground.

After taking a walk around the camp, I decided that now would be the best time to see Ariadne. Ever since what Hermes revealed all that was to be known about her to me, I started to wonder if I should go back to her. I mean, the reason I had met her in the first place was to get to know her, and now that I had all the information I needed, why should I continue the charade?

But it was then I decided against it. No, I have gone too far to go back now. Ariadne already knew about me, and I was sure that she was expecting to see more of me. Furthermore, she did tell me that she wished to trust me, since, to her, I seem to be the only person – besides 'Cynthia' – that she felt she should trust now. Trust was a big thing anyone could ever give to anyone else, and I realized that I truly did want her trust.

Call me crazy, but when Hermes asked me that question last night, I realized that something inside me was making me want to know her. Damn, I wouldn't even mind being seen as a friend in her eyes. In fact, just that very thought of her thinking of me as a friend seemed to make my heart feel light, for some strange reason.

_But what was it?_ I wondered to myself as I made my way to the grove. "Why is it about her that makes me feel so strange?" I questioned aloud.

But the forest provided no answer.

It was a matter of time until I found the stream that separated the grove from the part of the forest I was in. The warm and bright rays of sunlight was beating down on the back of my head, and it caused the water in the stream to glisten and sparkle like diamonds.

I carefully jumped over the stream to reach the grove. To make my presence known to Ariadne, who I was sure was nearby, I called out, "Ariadne? It's me."

In no less than a few seconds, a reply came from behind the trees. I'm over here, Dion. I'm with someone at the moment."

Her statement made me become alert almost instantaneously. There was someone with her?

No wasting even a second, I quickly rushed to the trees, ducking over branches and pushing away flexible ones, in order to get to Ariadne more quickly, and even see who she was talking about. I was so certain that there was no one in this part of Naxos except me, my followers and Ariadne. Could I have been wrong?

I felt thankful that I finally managed to reach the grove. The first thing I saw was Ariadne, who was sitting against a tree. She looked over to me the minute I had stepped out. And then, I finally managed to see the person who was sitting beside her.

I discretely sighed in relief.

"Dion, this is Cynthia," Ariadne introduced. "She's the woman I have met the day before, and the one who had brought me to this grove."

I looked over to Artemis, who was once again dressed in white. But this time, it wasn't a robe she was wearing, but a simple plain full-length dress that still managed to accentuate her figure. Her wavy dark hair was pulled into a side braid, thus allowing her beautiful face to be clearly seen.

Artemis' midnight blue eyes looked up at me in curiosity, but her warning voice was suddenly heard from within my mind.

_She cannot know that we know each other. Act like this is the first time you have ever seen me._

"Hello," she greeted with a smile. "So you are the one Ariadne calls 'Dion'?"

Taking a few seconds to register that she was putting up a ruse, I bowed my head and replied, "Yes, I am. And you are the one she calls 'Cynthia'?"

Artemis – or 'Cynthia' – nodded her head.

"I did not think that there would be anyone else on this part of Naxos," I remarked curiously, trying to keep the charade up while still acting natural. I came to sit beside Ariadne on the ground, my eyes holding onto Artemis'.

"So that means that you are not from Dion's village?" Ariadne asked 'Cynthia'. "Where are you from then?"

Artemis' eyes shifted over from mine to her's. "I do not reside in a village. I live by myself in the hills," she admitted.

Ariadne seemed shocked by that. "What? How can you possibly stay by yourself? What's more on an island as big and dense as Naxos? Isn't that scary? Or at least worrisome?"

'Cynthia' smiled and shook her head. "It is not that scary, young Ariadne. It too is not worrisome. In fact, it is very peaceful. The wildlands need my care and I can find safety in it. I do not feel tempted to leave the forests anytime soon."

"Have you ever been to the cities?" I asked, still trying to act natural and wanting to be polite by not remaining silent. "Have you ever lived in one?"

'Cynthia' shook her head in admittance, but Artemis said to me in my thoughts, _You should know. _I could almost hear her rolling her eyes as her words echoed through my mind.

"Cities do not appeal to me. There are too noisy, too crowded, and not at all peaceful," 'Cynthia' said with a frown. "Furthermore, they do not hold the element of natural beauty and calmness that could be easily found in the wild. Here, I can enjoy an open air and listen to the natural sounds of nature."

I sat there quietly, listening to her words, which rang very true. All those characteristics that she had stated were all the exact same reason why I avoided cities whenever my camp and I migrate to find a new revelry area. Here in the wild, we – including I – could be as wild as nature itself, with no care in the world for restrictions and proper behavior; as free as the breeze and as wild as the animals.

Ariadne looked taken aback, for some reason. "I have never thought of it that way," she said with wonder. "I've been raised in a city all my life, and all that I know of the wildlands is that it is a dangerous place."

The last bit of her sentence made me tense, and I stole a glance at 'Cynthia'. Underneath the cool façade the stranger woman wore, I could sense Artemis feeling disapproval at Ariadne's words.

"Not true," I could hear her murmur so very quietly under her breath. Ariadne did not seem to notice her words.

"But, I must admit that there is certainly beauty and freedom in the wildlands than in cities. If I were better adept in living under such conditions, I would have found everything most enjoyable," Ariadne admitted with a small smile. "Unfortunately, it is a shame that I was not."

Turning to her, I grinned and exclaimed in reassurance, "Need not fret, Ariadne! It is never too late to learn to let go of whatever burdens your shoulders and be free and wild as the wildlands themselves, where no one would be able to see you or judge you if you wish to act out of order!"

Ariadne stared at me strangely, as though not comprehending what I had said and thinking that I must be some sort of lunatic. But with a tone of uncertainty, she replied, "Maybe so."

Suddenly, we were all interrupted by a loud cawing that came from above in the tree branches. All three of us instinctively looked up, but we didn't have to look up far before whatever it was suddenly came down to land in front of us.

Whatever that had cawed so loudly was actually a raven, with beautiful, sleek and shining feathers that were as black as night, and a long beak that was of a lighter shade of grey. It stood there, looking at us with a curious glint in its beady black eyes.

"Oh, we have a guest," Ariadne commented with a smile. Inching closer, she extended a welcoming open hand to the raven, inviting it to hop onto her palm. The raven accepted the invitation gladly, starting to hop towards her exposed smooth palm.

But all of a sudden, another hand grabbed Ariadne's wrist, and 'Cynthia' pulled her hand away from the raven immediately. Both Ariadne and the raven was seemingly startled at this notion; Ariadne even more when she saw the hint of anger in the woman's eyes.

"An _unwelcomed _guest," 'Cynthia' muttered under her breath, but I could hear a hint of Artemis in that voice. When she had let go of Ariadne's wrist, she instead gave her own open hand to the raven. But while Ariadne had been open and inviting, she was somewhat threatening and hostile.

The raven looked frightened of 'Cynthia', backing up when her hand inched closer. But it stopped in its retreat when she leveled its frightened gaze with her dangerous narrowing eyes. For some reason, I felt as though she was giving it a warning, and demanding that it approach her.

I thought that strange, even more so when I did not know why Artemis was looking at the creature with such disapproval.

Suddenly, as though looking defeated, the raven hesitantly hopped into her opened palm, looking completely scared and nervous. 'Cynthia' then stood up, carefully balancing the small raven in her hands. Ariadne then inquired, "Where are you going, Cynthia?"

"Some matters to settle," she replied without looking at her, starting to walk away.

As she walked, I could not tear my eyes away the raven, which was slowly and almost meekly bringing its head up to look at her. Suddenly, just as a streak of sunlight shone onto it, I realized a sudden change in it.

When the sunlight had shone on its eyes, it changed into the clear and bright color of sky blue.

But it wasn't only the color change that surprised me. It was also the thought that I had seen those eyes before. Sky blue eyes that seemed so very familiar to me. I was then plunged into deep thought. Where had I seen those eyes before?

No less than a minute later, the answer hit me, and I could feel my heart racing at the clarity.

"What happened to her?" Ariadne commented in confusion. "She seemed so angry when the raven came."

I half-listened to her words, internally fidgeting and itching to go after Artemis and confront her on what had happened. But I did not want to give Ariadne the suspicion that something may be going on.

Unfortunately, I could not fight that urge for long.

"Excuse me, Ariadne," I said to her in sincere apology as I got up, noting the way her eyes suddenly darted over to me. "I must go… relieve myself."

Argh! I felt so stupid for saying that! Me, a god, _relieving _myself?! What an absolutely stupid thing to say! But I couldn't help but agree that it may be the right excuse to give under the guise of a normal mortal.

Ariadne blushed at my answer (must to my utter embarrassment) and said, "Oh. Of course. Go ahead."

I bowed my head to her and told her that I will be back shortly before heading towards the direction of the stream. When I had reached it and was out of Ariadne's sight, I quietly searched for wherever Artemis had gone to.

It hadn't taken me long. I could hear her voice from the other side of the stream in the thicket of trees, sounding very annoyed and disapproving. As I jumped over the stream and approached her area, it was then I realized that she was actually talking, and to someone.

"…The nerve of you! Honestly!"

After she had finished voice her words, another voice sounded. The voice was that of a male's, and it sounded so very argumentative and pleading.

"Come on now, Artemis! Of course, I'd be curious as to why you would go to her. And now that I realized Dionysus is in this as well…"

The new voice did not manage to finish his words, because I have already made myself known.

Standing in front of Artemis was a male god, who had graceful waves of golden hair and eyes that was the color of the bright blue sky. He was taller than the goddess by a few inches, but I could immediately see some form of similarity in the both of them.

"Apollo," I muttered his name under my breath. "No wonder there was something strange about that raven."

Apollo, God of the Sun and my older half-brother, and Artemis' younger twin, smiled at me and moved away from his older sister to approach me. "Dionysus. It has been quite a long time," he greeted me with a bright smile.

Channeling a friendly smile as well in return, I replied, "Well, I had a lot to do down here in the mortal lands. I guess I have been too busy to realize how long I have not been back to Mount Olympus."

Suddenly, Artemis' disapproving voice came from behind us. "I ask you _again_, Apollo. What were your intentions towards Ariadne?"

My attentions were quickly torn away from Apollo's friendly eyes to Artemis', which were narrowed in disapproval. I became curious about her question. So was that why Apollo was here? What exactly were his intentions towards Ariadne?

Apollo groaned and turned his head slightly to the side to look at her. "Really, sister? Must you be so agitated about this? It's not like you've ever disapproved me of doing this before."

To his words, Artemis snapped haughtily, "I would be if I know that you would have the nerve of taking advantage of a helpless girl."

At that admittance, I gasped in shock under my breath.

Heaving a long, dreaded sigh, Apollo turned to me and replied to her, "Well, she was too beautiful. How was I not supposed to take notice of her? What's more, I feel obliged to give her some 'company', after having seen what had happened between her and the son of our uncle."

"What?" I suddenly questioned, my anxiety rising up a notch. "You know about that? How?" Indeed, I would like to know. Apollo was the _last _person in my mind that I would have guessed to know such things.

Apollo focused his full attentions on me and smirked. "Interested, Dionysus?" he asked musingly, but stopped when he heard a low warning growl emanating from Artemis. However, he continued on in a slightly more serious voice, "Remember that I hold patronage over Helios' Sun, and therefore I am All-Seeing. I know everything that goes on in the mortal lands."

Of course. How could I have forgotten that simple fact? Apollo was indeed the All-Seeing One. With the Sun up in the sky during the time of day, he could see everything, regardless of distance.

"How much do you know about her and Theseus?" I inquired, cautiously taking a step closer.

Bringing his hand to rub his smooth chin lazily yet thoughtfully, he answered, "I know of the Labyrinth, the slaying of the Minotaur, her escape from Crete and her abandonment by him on this very island we stand upon. I also know of Theseus now having taken her younger sister Phaedra as his new lover and him now grieving over his father's death, all because of his stupid carelessness."

"Why's that?" I questioned him. Artemis, who was visibly interested in our conversation, came to Apollo's side, eyes on him as she waited to hear what he was about to say.

Apollo quirked his eyebrows in amusement as he answered, "Oh, the Prince of Athens reached his homeland last night, with his ship still bearing black sails instead of white ones!"

"And then?" Artemis prompted, eyebrows furrowing curiously.

Her younger brother let out a chuckle, and explained, "If Theseus' ship bore white sails when it had returned to Athens, it meant that he had survived the Labyrinth and the Minotaur and had come home safe and sound. But if it returned to Athens still bearing the black sails it wore when it left, that is a sign that the Prince had perished. Theseus was indeed alive, but when his ship had been seen in the distance still bearing the black sails, his dear father Aegeus assumed the worst, and out of grief, ended his life by throwing himself off a cliff and into the sea."

I could feel a silent gasp escape from my parted lips. Partially, I was glad at the thought that Theseus was now grieving over the loss of his father. I thought of it as payback for what he had done to Ariadne. But yet, I felt so sorry for that Aegeus, who had to suffer because of Theseus' stupid mistake of forgetting to change the damn sails.

"Gods above…" I could hear Artemis mutter pitifully.

Apollo, however, did not have a reaction similar to ours. "I don't know about you, but I think he deserved it," he remarked with a snort. "Serves him right for taking advantage of a pretty girl like her, and then just leaving her all alone on an island."

I had to agree with Apollo's word on that. If only I could find a shred of sympathy for the demigod of our discussion. Unfortunately, I could not, and I don't think I even intend to do so.

"Anyway, enough about that demigod. Now, let us discuss about you," Apollo said with a new smirk tugging on his lips. "What exactly are you doing here, Dionysus? Are you after Ariadne?"

Hearing that, I immediately replied indignantly, "No, I am not. In fact, I had been the one who had found her. I was the first she saw on this island."

Apollo cocked a perfect brow. "Really now?" he said. "And with what intentions?"

I wanted to give a good answer to quash the insolence in his question, but Artemis suddenly stepped forward and stood in front of Apollo, acting as a sort of barrier between me and him. She interjected firmly, "Dionysus intends to help her. And he wouldn't have asked me to aid him if he had planned to do _something else _to her."

Suddenly, Apollo seemed to cringe from the sight of Artemis' eyes on him. If there was one thing I knew very well about Apollo was that the only person that could ever tame him and put him into place would be Artemis.

"Okay then", he muttered under his breath, slowly looking away from her to me. "Then I wish you luck in helping her. I can only advise to you to have care in what you do with her. Mortal females are _very_ sensitive."

As if I did not know that already.

"Alright," I answered him in a neutral voice. "I will take heed."

And then, without another word, I turned away from the twins and made my way back to Ariadne. However, I had met her halfway, on the opposite side of the stream. She looked like she was about to jump over, but stopped short when she saw me.

"Oh, Dion! There you are," she exclaimed. "You were taking too long. I thought you had…" she hesitated, and then said meekly, "problems."

The memory of the stupid excuse I had given to her suddenly flashed back in my mind, and I had to resist from slapping myself on the forehead in embarrassment.

Clearing my throat to extinguish the awkwardness that hung between us, I said immediately, "Well, no worries." Silence ensued for a few more seconds, and before it could get even more awkward, I asked, "Would you like to go to the lake?"

Ariadne looked at me blankly for a while, before she smiled and nodded her head.

* * *

Ariadne

"Dion? Can I tell you something?"

He was gazing at the sparkling waters in the lake, looking very deep in thought. But then he turned to me and said, "Yes?"

With a deep breath and thinking over my thoughts again, I told him, "Last night, I think around midnight or later, I heard screaming and shouting near the grove. I thought it was someone getting hurt, but when I heard it closely, I realized that it sounded like drunken people who had too much alcohol. Maybe it is, maybe it wasn't."

For some reason, I noticed Dion tensing. It was such a small change that I would not have been able to notice it if I had not been concentrating. But I _did _notice it, and I wondered why he tensed.

"Do you think they were from your… cult?" I asked him, remembering the fact that he had told me that he was not from a village but from a cult.

Dion turned his head away and his hazel eyes resumed gazing out at the lake. Instead of answering my question, he simply asked, "Did you leave the grove when you heard it?"

I was taken aback by his question, wondering why he would want to ask me that. Nonetheless, I replied, "No, I didn't."

He nodded his head in understanding. "Good. Remember my words; regardless of what you hear or see, you are never to leave the grove by yourself. Especially in the night."

I did remember his words, but that was not at the front of my mind now. Now, I was wondering why he could not simply asked my question, and why he made me feel more at suspense.

"What are you not telling me, Dion?" I questioned in a murmur under my breath, knowing that he could hear me.

Dion turned his head to look at me again. With a smirk, he replied musingly, "Things that you shouldn't know as of yet."

That certainly did not help me in my suspense.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, well, well! Apollo came to do _something _to Ariadne! That cheeky Sun God! But it's a good thing Artemis was there to put her little brother in place! So Dionysus is still safe!

Also, Apollo was disguised as a raven, which is his sacred animal.

Anyway! Slowly, and slowly, Ariadne starts to get more and more curious about 'Dion'? Will she ever find out more?

Until Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	11. PART 1: Chapter 10

_**Part 1: Chapter 10**_

Dionysus

As the days passed by, I fell into some sort of routine. Once I had woken up in the morning and I have finished my round around my camp, I would spend the entire day with Ariadne, until nightfall came and I had to go back to my camp to enjoy the nightly revelry. During my time with her, which would be spent at either the lake or at the seaside, we would just talk. But as the days passed, we gradually got quite comfortable in each other's presence, not even minding if there were silent moments in between.

Soon, I realized that thoughts of Ariadne had begun to frequent my mind. There were never a few minutes where I would not have one single thought of her. I could be dancing to my heart's content or drinking with gusto, and an image of her eyes or her smile would suddenly pop up in my mind.

I really wondered; why? Why did I have such thoughts of her? What was it about her that has left such a deep impression in me? Maybe it was because of spending too much time with her, but I had a very good feeling that it was not because of that.

But I realized that, whatever that reason may be, I find that I do not mind.

And it was not only me that was getting more comfortable with the girl. Ariadne too has been getting closer and closer to 'Cynthia', now more at ease in the secret goddess' presence to the point of being able to call her a 'friend'. I found out from Artemis that Ariadne has indeed been gifting prayers of worship and praise to her, and I was glad that she has managed to keep hold of my half-sister's good graces, and even more than glad that Artemis does not seem to mind about her so much anymore, even letting go of the fact that Ariadne was not a maiden.

Right now, I was once again making my way to the grove, knowing that she would be there waiting, or with 'Cynthia'. Whatever it was, I just moderately kept pace so that I would be able to reach her in just a few minutes.

Finally, the stream came into view, and I promptly jumped over it to continue on my path to the grove. The area was serene as usual, with the sounds of the soft travelling of freshwater in the stream and the chirping of the little birds high up in the trees.

"Ariadne?" I called out to let her know of my presence. "Ariadne, I'm here."

But just as I had walked into the grove, I saw a sight that made me stop in my tracks.

Huddled close to the thick bushes was Ariadne, who was trembling fervently as she sat with her knees drawn to her chest and her arms wrapped tightly around it. She looked like a complete mess, with dark circles shadowing around her eyes and her long pale blonde hair in a mess around her pretty yet terrified face.

Worry instantly filled my heart before I could stop it.

"Ariadne!" I cried out her name as I hurried to her side. "What happened? Is something wrong?"

As though instinctively, I took her into my arms, wanting so very much to comfort her right now. She seemed to have been in a trance, not noticing I was there until I had held her gently against my chest. When she finally did realize, she suddenly gripped handfuls of my chiton with trembling hands, burying her face into the cloth as she held on to me almost desperately.

As I shushed her quietly, I then became aware that this was the first time since the night I had met her that I have seen her so broken and terrified. For some reason, I felt myself became so overcome with worry and concern for her. It almost terrified me to see her in such a state. It only reminded me that she was, after all, human, and she was so very damn fragile.

I truly did want to know what had happened to make her seem so terrified. Her haggard appearance only made me see more clearly how whatever that had happened had affected her so terribly to the point of not being able to get even a wink of sleep last night and nearly entering a breakdown.

Ariadne continued to tremble and shake, inhaling and exhaling harsh and shaky breaths of air. But luckily, she did not cry, thank goodness.

I held her closer to me, rubbing my hand up and down gently on her back to give her some comfort. As softly as I can limit my voice to be, I asked again, "Ariadne, what happened?"

Slowly, she started to calm down, taking deep breaths to recollect herself. But she did not loosen her grip onto me and continued to stay in my arms, seeming to have found comfort in them.

I could hear her murmur, "Last night… Last night…"

I prompted her gently, "What happened last night?"

Continuing to murmur, she said, "I heard those same sorts of noises again… Drunken laughter and screaming... But they sounded so hysterical, almost mad and psychotic… Whoever it was had been right on the other side of the stream… They had been so _very _close… If they had crossed the stream, they could have found me… I could have been…"

Suddenly, her breathing started quickening, and I tighten my hold on her to somehow prevent her from going into hysteria. I shushed her, starting to rock her gently to soothe her.

She continued in a shaky voice, "I was so afraid… I think they may have heard me… I could not sleep… I was so scared that they might find me…"

Inwardly, I grimaced at the thought. I knew very well who those voices might be. Who else would be drunk and hysterical in the night, except for my followers? I knew that it had been my followers as well that few days ago when Ariadne had first slept in this very grove. I cursed mentally at the thought that they could have caused her so much stress.

Masking away my irritation and slowly-growing anger, I tried hard to soothe and calm her once again. "Hush…" I shushed her quietly, bringing my hand to gently stroke her soft blonde hair. "It's alright now, Ariadne. You are here, unharmed. You are safe. Whatever it was last night did not manage to find you."

For the next few minutes that followed, we stayed that way; both of us sitting on the grass, her in my arms as I held her gently and shushed her soothingly. As the seconds ticked by, she seemed to slowly get a grip on herself, because she stopped her frantic breathing and managed to resume a normal paced one.

Very slowly, Ariadne pushed herself away from me so that she could look at my face. As she gripped my shoulders gently, not fully pulling away, I studied her face, and saw that the fear that haunted her beautiful grey-green eyes were no longer there, though she still looked very shaken.

"Come on," I said gently, getting up on my feet as I pulled her up onto hers. "Let's get you relaxed."

She obeyed, though I could notice her swaying as she tried to balance on her two feet. Keeping a steady hold on her, I led her to the nearby apple tree, sitting her down on the grass with her back against the trunk. Leaving her, I stretched upwards to grab some nice red apples for her to eat, because I could tell from the look on her face that she seemed famished from her scare.

But just as I was about to grab one, a streak of sunlight suddenly glinted off something very shiny, with one of the shine rays hitting my in the eye. Curious, I turned to look at the shining object, and I realized that it was something very familiar.

Atop a pile of half folded dresses was the silver vial that I had given to Ariadne the morning after I first met her. The vial that I had kept wine in, as a gift to her.

I remembered very clearly the hesitancy on her face when I had told her that it was wine, and I knew for sure that she suspected that I must have drugged it or something. Now, I began to wonder if she had even drunk it.

To find out, I went to it and picked it up from where it lay on the pile of clothes. True to what I had assumed, she did not drink the wine at all. I could still feel the full volume of wine in it, and I was sure that not even a drop of it had been gone.

I turned my head behind to see Ariadne looking blankly ahead into the distance, staring at the trees. She seemed so deep in thought that I had no heart to call her out of her concentration.

Turning back to the vial in my hands, I opened the cap to inhale the content. Having aged a few days, the wine had taken on a new, slightly tangy undertone in its scent. But nonetheless, it still smelled very sweet and tart with the grapes and honey and spices.

Suddenly, I had a new idea on what the wine could be used for now. It may help Ariadne greatly.

I returned to Ariadne's side, picking the apple that I had intentionally intended to pick. She finally turned to look at me as I broke off the apple perfectly in the middle and handed her one half.

She smiled a small smile that was heavy with fatigue but full of gratefulness. "Thank you, Dion," she said as she accepted the apple half. Slowly, she took a small bite of the juicy flesh, and I could hear the firm _crunch_ when her teeth bit into it and break it off into her mouth. She chewed slowly, relishing in the sweet ripeness of the red fruit.

Minding not to stare at her for too long, I too started to eat the other half of the ripe red apple, playing absentmindedly with the silver vial of wine in my hand. I stared blankly at the trees, thinking many random thoughts.

Her voice was what broke me out of my daydream. "Dion?" she said quietly.

Immediately returning back to reality, I turned to look at her and asked, "Yes, Ariadne?"

The first thing I noticed was the hesitance that could clearly be seen in her eyes, which was further confirmed by the slightly pursing of her lips. I saw her fingers, now no longer holding the devoured apple half, twiddling aimlessly. Her eyes became downcast, focusing their sights on her fidgeting fingers.

"Ariadne?"

She looked up and once again held my gaze with hers. With a sigh, she told me, "I need to tell you something."

"What is it?" I asked, curious and concern.

With another sigh, she said, "I won't get into the full story, but I will tell you how I got here on this island. I think it's about time you knew."

Suddenly, I could feel my hear tracing in anticipation. Internally, I was glad that I could finally hear the truth from her lips. I did not know why, since I secretly knew everything that had happened to her, thanks to Hermes. But I did not tell her that, of course. It could raise too many questions that I knew I did not want to answer… yet.

"Okay…Are you sure?" I inquired, giving her the chance to refuse while she still had it.

Once again, hesitance was clear on her face, but she nodded her head in confirmation. I guess that she was trying to fight her growing hesitancy, not wanting it to stop her.

"Yes," she replied. "I think that I can no longer keep you in the dark. You need to know."

I did not say anything in reply, but I nodded my head, telling her that I understood and she could continue.

With a deep breath, she finally answered in a strained voice, "I was abandoned here by my ex-lover, Theseus. He was the one who took me away from my homeland, telling me that he wished to marry me. But he lied, and he left me here to die when he got bored and had made full use of me."

Almost spontaneously, tears began to fall from Ariadne's eyes. They flowed down her pale cheeks in slow rivulets, gathering at the tip of her chin before falling onto a certain spot of her dark blue dress. She sniffled lightly as she started to wipe away the new tears, and I could feel her trying hard to maintain composure.

"I gave up everything I had… for him…" she continued in a strangled voice. "I was so foolish to abandon everything that had mattered the most to me… for someone who couldn't… no, wouldn't… give a single damn about me… I was an idiot… A complete, stupid idiot… This was my own fault…"

Finally, she seemed to not be able to control it any longer. She masked her face with her hands and began to sob into her palms. Her cries sounded only a bit muffled, but I could feel the pain and agony that lay within her.

Her cries were so heart-wrenching that I immediately felt so very sympathetic. Partly, because she, as a mortal, could not control her sadness no matter how hard she tried, and she could immediately become so fragile and vulnerable under the power of that emotion. However, it also made me sad to hear about her losing everything that was dear to her.

Yes, I will admit that her predicament was partly her fault. I could not turn a blind eye to that one fact. It was _she _herself that foolishly and impulsively trusted Theseus just because she thought that she was in love with him. In truth, she was _not _in love with Theseus; she was only attracted to him.

And that just shows how blind attraction can be fatal.

But I also could not blame the whole thing on her. She was just one naïve princess; that was her only downside. But Theseus, on the other hand, had gone on a whole new level of treachery, and to a woman! He knew that he did not love Ariadne and wanted nothing to do with her, but he only lied about loving her just so that he could keep his sorry excuse of a life. And in the end, he abandoned her on an island by herself without – I presume – so much of hesitation and gladly took her younger sister as his new paramour.

"I didn't tell you this until now, but I still have nightmares of the day he left me, Dion…" she quietly admitted as she wiped away the last of her tears. "Each time I did, I hoped that the outcome was different… That I might be able to wake up from the nightmare and find myself back home in Crete, with the mess never having started… But with each passing day, it hurts to know that it isn't possible…"

To be honest, Ariadne did not deserve such a thing happening to her. I felt sympathetic that it had. Completely and truly sympathetic. And to be honest, I wanted to help her very much.

Silently, I carefully reached out and tucked a strand of her blonde hair delicately behind her ear. I could hear her gasp under her breath and she looked at me in surprise, clearly not expecting me to do such a thing. But she did not protest to the contact. In fact, when I had delicately cupped her cheek, she gently leaned her face into my palm. I could feel her warmth seeping into my skin, and it felt so nice.

Ariadne brought her gaze to my hand, and she hesitantly reached her own hand up to trail her fingers on the back of my hand. "Your skin is… so soft," she murmured in awe. "It feels like velvet… And it's so warm, like a fire in a hearth…"

Suddenly, she blushed a bright red, and I could feel her warmth increasing. Looking at me shyly, she said with a small bashful smile, "I'm sorry to have said such a silly thing. But it truly is soft and warm."

I smiled at seeing her so relaxed again, feeling relief that she was seemingly more relaxed. Slowly, I withdrew my hand, and I felt surprised at seeing her disappointment of losing our minor skin contact. But then, her expression changed to one of confusion when I presented her the vial in my other hand.

"Here," I said, gesturing for her to take the vial. "Drink this."

Hesitancy returned to her face as she gazed at the chalice. "Dion…"

I cut her off swiftly by saying in a gentle voice, "I know that you are hesitant to drink it because you fear that it may be tainted. But I assure you, and I give you my honest word, that this wine is not. Drink this, and you will feel more relaxed. It will help you calm, and not think of the bad things."

Ariadne eyed me cautiously, and I truly could not blame her. But there must be something in her that has seen the truth in my eyes and that has heard the truth in my words, and I could only hope that she would use it to finally believe me.

As though blessed, she slowly reached out for the vial and took it in her own hands. gently, she uncapped it, and she sighed in pleasure as she breathed in the sweet perfume of the fine drink.

"It still smells so divine…" she murmured, breathing in another lungful of the aroma. She looked high from the scent, and I wondered then how high she would be if she drank more than just a vial of the drink.

"Taste it. It is even more divine," I urged her gently.

With caution yet carefulness in her movements, she brought the vial to her lips. I could notice a moment of hesitation there, but it disappeared quickly when she tipped it and drank the entire content in a few sips.

The vial was completely empty by the time she pulled it away from her lips, and she gasped loudly. Her eyes were wide and astonished, looking around the trees as though she had never seen such trees before.

Before I could ask her of how she was feeling, she suddenly exclaimed loudly, "By the Gods! That _is _divine!"

Truth be told, I actually jumped from her sudden reaction. For the past few days I have been with her, I have never seen Ariadne like that. As I watched her curiously, she continued to look at her surroundings in awe.

"This is so amazing!" she suddenly said. "I feel so relaxed all of a sudden. It's as though my mind is so clear now! And everything looks so much more brighter and colorful! This is beautiful!"

By the tone of her voice, I could already tell that she was starting to slowly slip into the ecstasy of wine. Well, that was quite fast. Maybe she was not a usual drinker, which was why she could slip into the ecstasy it brought in just a short amount of time. Whereas, I needed at least a few full chalices of it to completely succumb.

Suddenly, Ariadne stood up, pulling my hands to get me to stand as well. "Come, Dion! The day is bright and beautiful!" she exclaimed joyfully with a big smile on her weary-ridden face. "Let us enjoy it!"

Indeed it shocked me to see her so carefree, but it made me glad to see her like that as well. I could only wish I could see this side of her more often.

Without hesitation, I allowed her to pull me up and lead me deeper into the forest. She skipped and bounced lightly, letting go of my hands to twirl clumsily. Her joyful giggles and hearty laughter mingled with the sounds of the forest critters and the chirping birds.

Despite it being caused by drunkenness, I somehow had a feeling that her laughter seemed to be true on the inside.

We said nothing to each other, only enjoying our time frolicking together.

XXX

Two hours passed, and Ariadne became tired.

When she was dancing in the middle of a clearing near the lake, the effects of wine had started to wear off, and her exhaustion from her lack of sleep last night was finally catching up to her. She stopped her feet from moving as the pair had been in the middle of dancing, and she let out a big yawn

"Dion…" she mumbled as she slowly came to me. "I'm sleepy…"

Without hesitation, I gently led her to an oak tree nearby, which provided a good and nice shade from the brightness of the Sun. I sat down against its trunk and beckoned her to follow. She did so too, but then she started to lie down on the grass and rest her head on my thigh, using it as some sort of pillow. I tensed all of a sudden, surprised that she had done such a thing.

"I hope you do not mind…" she mumbled as she slowly started to fall into slumber. "But I really am tired…"

Slowly and carefully, I rested my hand on the side of her head, gently running my fingers through her pale blonde hair. She sighed in relaxation as she nuzzled closer to me. The closeness between us started to feel very comforting to me, and I hoped to her as well.

Soothing her to sleep, I replied, "No, I do not… Rest well, Ariadne…"

I saw her pale pink lips lifting into a small and tired smile as she slowly started to close her eyes. Just before she finally fallen under Hypnos' spell, she whispered, "Thank you, Dion…"

Very soon, she was fast asleep, breathing deeply and soundly. Seeing her asleep reminded me of the time I found her sleeping on the beach the morning after the night I had found her. Like that morning, she looked utterly at peace in her sleep, with no inch of worry or stress ruining her features. She looked absolutely calm and relaxed.

That very sight was enough to make me smile.

* * *

Author's Note:

Okay, I swear to you guys that the moment of truth _will_ arrive shortly! Sorry if some of you are so irked by how long it was taking, but everything is slowly building up perfectly (in my opinion!) to that moment!

Gosh, I am terribly damn excited! Wonder what will happen to Ariadne next?

See you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	12. PART 1: Chapter 11

_**Part 1: Chapter 11**_

Ariadne

I woke up when I heard the chirping of birds above me and the cool breeze billowing around. When I felt my body slowly awakening from sleep, there was a slight pounding in my head, and I could feel myself wince slightly at the feeling. But other than that, I felt absolutely fine.

All I could feel was the feelings of relaxation, calmness and… comfort.

I could feel my lips lifting into a sleepy smile and I sighed in satisfaction at what a nice sleep I just had. As sleep continued to leave my body, I began to stretch my arms above my head languidly, with my whole body stretching along the way.

However, I stopped short when my hand came in contact with something hard and warm.

_That's odd…_ I thought to myself. Curious, I turned my head to look at what was behind me…

Immediately, I gasped in shock and scrambled away when I saw that it was Dion, who was simply gazing at me. I suddenly became more shocked at the sudden realization that I had been sleeping with my head resting on his _thigh_.

"Gods above!" I exclaimed, feeling my face heat up in embarrassment. "Dion, I am so sorry! I did not mean to fall asleep!" And then, I turned my head to look at the sky, and was immediately more overwhelmed with more shock when I saw the dusky orange color and the Sun setting in the west. "Goodness! And until evening!"

The heat of embarrassment was slowly overtaking me, but it seemed to have suddenly extinguished when Dion smiled. "No worries, Ariadne," he said reassuringly. "You were very exhausted after having exerted yourself from your merry-making. So it is alright."

At his mention of 'merry-making', I suddenly recalled the wine he had given me to drink. I remembered the tart, sweet and exotically delicious flavor of the wine on my taste-buds; how it tasted so divine that it could have passed off as the ambrosia of the gods. Also, I began to recall how very light-headed I felt after drinking every single drop of the reddish-purple wine down. My mind seemed to clear up at that moment, leaving nothing but a pleasurable dizziness, which made me feel as though I had to get up and move because I was too energetic.

Afterwards, I only remembered running, with a bounce to my step, with carefree through the forests. I think I may have been dancing, although I recalled my movements to be free but clumsy; a far cry from the poise and elegance I had learnt to attain when I was still a young girl in dancing lessons. I also remembered Dion following me in whatever I was doing, smiling and laughing as he participated with me.

"What was in that drink?" I inquired in a mutter as I brought a hand to run my fingers through my hair, gently smoothing away any tangles in the strands. "I don't think I have ever drank something so strong yet so exquisite in my entire life."

Dion cocked his head to the side, still holding my gaze. Instead of answering my question, he only asked curiously, "Do you feel calm now, after drinking it?"

_Calm…_ Was that not the purpose of him giving me the drink? To make me feel calm? My suspicion of the wine being tainted was slightly raised, because I was astounded by how potent it had been. I was able to get drunk in such a short amount of time, and by such a small amount of wine. Furthermore, that would explain the slight feeling of dizziness inside my head.

However, truth be told, the wine had done its job proper; I did feel calm. In fact, I felt _really _calm.

"Yes, I do," I admitted with a smile. "Thank you, for giving it to me. Not only was it delicious, but it really helped me relax."

Dion gave me a wide smile that only enhanced his attractiveness, making my breath hitch soundlessly in my throat. Up until this day, I still could not get used to his ethereal beauty. Every day, he continued to mesmerize me, and it only made it better that his personality was a very likable one and that his presence was enjoyable.

He bowed his head slightly as a show of thanks, alongside that very attractive and warm smile of his. And then, he got on his feet and stood to his full height. He extended a hand to me, and I took it, allowing him to gently pull me up into a stand.

All of a sudden, I was very aware of a very unpleasant fact.

"Ugh…" I muttered in disgust.

"What?" Dion asked, his perfect dark eyebrows pulling into a slight frown.

I sucked up my embarrassment of saying what I was going to say next and told him meekly, "I'm sorry to say, Dion, but… I really need to wash up right now…"

It was true. I had not washed myself in the morning, and now I was very well-aware of the feeling of the light coating of sweat and grime all over my body, and the musky odor that was coming from my unkempt hair. It irked me so much, and I was inwardly horrified that I had slept near Dion in that sort of unwashed state. But whether or not he was disturbed by it, he did not show, and I was thankful, though still slightly embarrassed.

His eyebrows raised in realization. "Oh, I see," he simply said.

Then, without another word, he took my hand and led me in the direction of the east. I did not hesitate and simply followed him. The dying rays of sunlight shone on both of us, but it seemed to have an enchanting orange glow around his form.

Not even a minute later, we had reached the lake. The water was calm and quiet, radiating orange from the fading daylight and reflecting images of the nearby hills and mountains. Dion let go of my hand and allowed me to go to the water. I sat down at the edge of the grass and dipped my feet in first, sighing in satisfaction at the warmth of the water, which had been gained from the heat of the Sun throughout the day.

So engrossed with how the water was nice that I nearly instinctively shed off my dress. But I stopped when I suddenly remembered that Dion was here with me, and I flushed in even more anxiety.

Slowly, I turned my head to him, about to tell him that I needed my privacy. Despite the fact that I trusted him enough with my story, which by now was no more than a dull ache to my mind, I still did not trust him enough to see me bathing.

But when I had turned to look at him, I was surprised to see him sitting with his back to me, facing the forest that surrounded the area. Yet, I was pleased that he already knew how to respect my privacy by averting his gaze away.

However, I still was not comfortable with the fact that he was nearby while I bathed.

"Dion?" I called out.

He turned his head slightly to the side, but not until he could see me. "Yes, Ariadne?" he asked.

I bit my lip in anxiety, and then told him, "Is it alright if you go back to the grove and get me a new dress? The one I am wearing right now is very filthy, and it smells unpleasant."

Dion did not answer to my request, but he then looked up at the dusky orange sky, which was starting to become more darker as the night approached.

"It's going to be dark soon…" he told me concernedly. "I do not wish to leave you alone at this sort of time. But…" he hesitated for a while, "if you wish for me to get you a new dress, can you promise me that you will be careful here? Stay hidden, and do not attract attention?"

I was curious about his request. Why would I have to stay hidden and not attract attention? I mean, was there something to hide from, and something to not attract? I wanted to know what has gotten him so worried. But I knew that even if I inquired him about that subject, Dion would not answer. Up to this point, I knew very well how he would be if I asked a question that seemed to breach the secret he must be keeping from me.

Instead, I just replied, "I promise, Dion. But please be back soon, okay?"

"Okay," he replied.

Dion then stood up and walked away into the forest, leaving me alone to bathe in privacy.

After making sure that he was truly gone, I took off the dark blue dress that I was wearing, leaving it in a crumpled wreath on the grass while I was now completely bare. I slowly dipped my feet back into the water before letting it descend, with the rest of my body following after. I went underneath for a few seconds before ascending back to the surface for air. I was now drenched from head to toe, and I felt glad that I could no longer feel the disgusting stickiness on my body and no longer smell the musky odor of my hair.

As I continued to swim and wash myself, the day started to transition into night. Now, the dusky orange color was gone, slowly being taken over by a nice shade of dark cerulean blue. I could see a few glitters in the sky, knowing soon that the stars would emerge.

But as the minutes passed by, it had already turned dark, Dion was still not back yet, and I began to get bored. I couldn't come out from the water now, in fear that he would see me in the nude. But I knew I did not want to swim anymore.

I needed to do something to get me out of my boredom, and the first thing that came to mind was singing.

Singing was always something I loved doing. It made me feel lightened and focused on getting the right notes, tune and melody. Sometimes, if possible or when necessary, I would usually sing while playing an instrument to give some tune.

I realized then that I have not sung for a long time. If I remembered, the last time I did was to Thes-

"**No!**" I suddenly cried out, angry that I have allowed a vile thought of _him_ come into my mind. "**Do not think of that bastard anymore! He is nothing to you, Ariadne! Nothing!**"

My screams and shouts echoed throughout the area, and I immediately clamped my hand over my mouth, shocked by my sudden outburst. I could not believe it. I had never had an outburst my entire life, except for when I was thinking about that treacherous, lying ass. I guess that was why I was somewhat changing.

Slowly easing my hand off my lips, I took slow and deep breaths to calm the sudden fire that had erupted within me. As I felt it slowly die out, I began to sing to soothe myself. My voice started low and soft, like that of a quiet hymn. I tried to maintain that volume, though it gradually began to rise a bit in volume.

Very soon, the singing took over me completely, and I continued to sing to my heart's content as I paddled gently around in the water near the grass. In the coming beauty of the night, I began to feel more and more relaxed.

However, I suddenly tensed, and the song was cut off from my voice as fear began to set in.

"Well, well, well… What a pretty find…"

* * *

Dionysus

I had to get back to Ariadne quickly. The day had gone and now night had set in, and everything was becoming darker by the passing minutes.

With a dark green dress in my hands, I hurried along the familiar pathways of the forest that led to the lake. Thanks to the characteristic enhanced vision of a divine being, I was able to see clearly, even without a torch or the light of the moon. I was able to find the right path that led to the lake, and I walked quickly right on that path.

But all of a sudden, I stopped in my tracks when I heard a very familiar sound. It was the sound of drunken laughter and hysterical screaming. Furthermore, they sounded very _female_.

I knew who those voices belonged to just seconds before they made an appearance before me.

"Lord Dio-NY-susss!" a group of four Maenads called out in drunk cheeriness as they emerged out of the trees and approached me, each wearing nothing but a wrap of thin cotton or a single cloak of animal fur that did not do justice in hiding their feminine assets, and messy wreaths of ivy on the crowns of their heads. In each of their hands, they carried a miniature wooden staff that seemed akin to my own thyrsus.

"Lord Dionysus, what do you look so _sober_?" one of them asked me speculatively, studying me with narrowed eyes. The word 'sober' was said by her as though it was a strange word.

"Why are you not enjoying the blessings of great wine and ecstasy as the others?" another questioned with a bubbly ecstatic voice. "The rest have celebrated, but here you are!"

"Why are you here, great King of the Revelry?" another questioned, her voice sounding so utterly confused as she gazed at me with bloodshot eyes. "Why are you here prowling the forest instead of losing yourself to the joy?"

"WWWWHHHHHYYYY?!" another demanded to know in a shrill shriek as she flapped her arms around like a psychotic bird.

Continuing to walk ahead of them, though at a slower pacing this time, I replied cheerily, "Is it not alright for me to venture out in the woods for a breath of fresh air? The intoxication of wine is indeed one to cherish, but so is the intoxication of a cooling breeze in the night! So fresh and delicious!"

The Maenads all looked confused at my words, as though they found the prospect of something else that was as delicious as wine to be very unbelievable. Instinctively, they began to sniff the cool air that was breezing by.

"It does not hold taste, nor does it hold ecstasy," one of the Maenads complained in a growl. "This is nothing compared to the joys of the drink!"

I sighed, realizing that it was futile to get these wine-and-ecstasy-addicted girls to understand what I was talking about. So I dropped it before it became an even bigger issue of debate, which could lead to a very messy argument.

"Never mind," I answered in finality. Casting my gaze slightly heavenwards, I realized then the moon was nearing its fixed position in the center of the dark and starry night sky, giving the only form of bright light in the complete and unfathomable darkness. "You should probably head back to the camp now," I told them as I started to make my way to the lake again. "Enjoy the high and pleasure the wine brings to all of us. Bask yourself in its intoxication. Leave me be, for I have some things that I need to settle."

Draping the dress, which was held in my right hand, over my left forearm, I proceeded to walk away. However, I did not make it far before I felt several hands grabbing handfuls of my chiton.

"Lord, do not go yet!" one of them mewled despairingly. "Celebrate with us! Right here; only you and us, great Lord!"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" the others chanted in unison, their agreement clear as day.

I grimaced, wanting so very much to just leave and return to Ariadne. The night was getting darker as the seconds passed, and my worry for the mortal girl started to grow. She was all alone by herself, and who knows what might happen to her if I was not there.

Trying to shake their hands off me, I told them firmly, "I'm sorry, my dear girls. But I really do have someplace else to be. So, please…"

But before I could finish my words, one of Maenads suddenly pressed their lips firmly against mine, insinuating a hard kiss.

As she molded her lips fiercely upon mine, I could only stare at her in shock and confusion. Her lips felt soft against mine, and tasted sweet of dark red wine. In just a few seconds, she was forcing her tongue through my lips, meeting my own immobile one. She kissed with so much force that I was pushed a step back when she pressed her front on mine.

Usually, I would have responded to the kiss, like I did with all the other kisses I had with other women. I would have willingly, and sometimes happily, be a participant in this show of affection. Sometimes, these sorts of kisses, which had started off with passion and lust in its purpose, would end up with me and the kisser being naked under the sheets of my bed. Those such events may be prolonged, or may stay as the one-night stand it was.

But for some reason, I felt hesitant in the kiss. In fact, I did not even want to kiss the Maenad back. My thoughts were not on her or her sisters, but of Ariadne. Images of her with her pale blonde hair and her grey-green eyes were flashing through my thoughts, and all I could see was of her smiling a smile so cute and so beautiful, and of her as she was in the morning, with tears streaming down her rosy cheeks and her face ridden in terror and anxiety.

My mind was repeatedly telling me to go back to her right now, to stay with her, to protect her.

The Maenad's lips and tongue were very intrusive on mine, and I began to felt uncomfortable. Wanting no more of this forceful exchange, I planted my hands on her shoulders and pushed her away from me, holding her at my arms' length.

The Maenads were shocked by my reaction, knowing well that this would not be how I acted when one of them was kissing me.

"Why did you stop, my lord?!" another asked me hysterically. "Was the kiss not good enough for you?!"

Before I could even answer her, the Maenad who had kissed me exclaimed with determination, "If it was not good for you, then I shall make sure that it is now!"

She then started to attempt to put her lips back on mine, but my hold on her was strong and barring, so she was unsuccessful. I kept her away from me, saving my lips and tongue from another unwanted kiss.

"No," I said firmly with command, making it clear to her and her sisters that I did not want to put up with them right now. "No, do not…"

But all of a sudden, a scream emanated through the air. It was so loud and piercing and so very sudden that both the Maenads and I jumped and were silenced by it. But I was even more overcome with fear and worry when I damnably recognized the familiar scream of the female.

"**ARIADNE!**" I shouted her name as I pushed my way past the Maenads and took off through the dark forest in the direction of the lake.

"**ARIADNE!**" I cried out her name again, feeling my feet rapidly pound against the forest floor that was ridden with dirt, grass, pebbles and sharps pieces of rock and wood. I was running faster than a cheetah, bolting past the dark trees with the godly speed I possessed in my being. With each step I took, the sounds of her screams began to get louder. I could hear fright, terror, anxiety, weakness and helplessness in her screams, and it only helped to fuel the same feelings in my heart.

"**ARIADNE!**" I shouted her name once again when I finally ran out of the trees and into the moonlight, finding myself in front of the dark lake that was sparkling with the essence of silver moonlight.

And it was that moment when I saw the horrible event that was taking place.

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry guys! Cliffhanger today!

Alright, alright. Don't be angry, okay! Build up some suspense and excitement for the next chapter on Monday!

See you then!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	13. PART 1: Chapter 12

_**Part 1: Chapter 12**_

Dionysus

Where the water of the lake met the grassy land, Ariadne was lying on the ground, her wet naked body struggling and thrashing – with the lower half of her body splashing about violently in the water – to escape the hand of the satyr who was gripping her hair tightly and painfully. The satyr was laughing maniacally as he looked down upon her with a lustful grin, and I knew from the look of his mad eyes what his intentions to her were.

Ariadne was crying hysterically and screaming for escape and help, her hands desperately trying in vain to pry off the hands of the half-man half-goat who was attempting to ravish her. But as though Fate had just stepped in to save the day, her teary eyes caught sight of me.

In a voice ridden with utmost fear and desperation, she cried out pleadingly, "**DION! DION, HELP ME!**"

The satyr began to look curious, but he did not look away from her heaving breasts. With a sadistic chuckle, he asked, "What is this? You have a friend? Well, that makes things even better…"

At that very moment, he was forcefully pushed to into the lake when I threw myself at him.

With the satyr still confused at the sudden tackle, I took this to my advantage and immediately pinned him to the underwater ground by straddling him on his front. That way, I could clearly see who it was, and was not really surprised to realize that it was one of my satyr followers. He must have been roaming the wildlands when, unfortunately, he caught sight of Ariadne.

Knowing satyrs, they would never hold back their eternal lust for beautiful women, especially mortals ones who were weak and vulnerable.

The sudden expression shock and panic was clear in his face when he realized who he was looking at. "My lord!" he cried. "I did not know that – "

But he was unable to finish his sentence when he was silenced by the powerful punch I threw to the side of his bearded face.

"**HOW DARE YOU**!" I roared in rage as I continued to pummel him with my tight fist. "**YOU DESPICABLE SCUM! HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER!**"

I could the burning fires of rage and fury coursing through my veins, boiling up the golden ichor which flowed within them. I could feel my entire being radiating the said rage and fury, even feeling my own aura go ablaze.

My punches were strong and, with the type of strength I possessed, absolutely painful to the satyr that was pinned beneath me. I could already see blood trickling down his nose and dark bruises were starting to bloom on wherever I hit him, which, at this point of time, was everywhere. His entire face became swollen and disfigured, only increasing his hideousness.

Having enough of punching him in the water, I stood up and grabbed his neck in my hand, picking him up by a choke-hold. With my strength, I was able to hold him in the air, even above my own head. His hairy goat legs thrashed around and both his hands gripped my wrist to try to pry me off him, but it only succeeded in making my hold on him tighter.

Just then, I could hear a gasp come from behind me, and it was as though time slowed down with my heartbeat when I turned behind to look at her.

Ariadne had now gone into a sitting position, with her knees drawn up to her chest – effectively shielding her exposed breasts – and her arms wound tightly around it, looking so damn terrified and afraid as she inhaled and exhaled rapid harsh and ragged breaths of air. I felt my heart beat in dismay when I realized that this was the way I had found her this morning, with a fear tenfold clear in her eyes.

But what I realized to my utter horror was the fact that she could see the feat I was pulling. There was shock in her eyes as she took in the image of me holding up a satyr with just one sole hand around the creature's sake. And Tartarus be damned, she was sure to have just entirely witnessed me beating the satyr bloody with my two bare hands.

I knew what she was thinking right now; how in Tartarus was I able to singlehandedly take down a strong and dangerous creature with so much unnatural strength?

It was then I knew that I had unintentionally exposed the secret that I had kept from her since the very first night I met her.

I was pulled out of my realization when I felt the struggles of the satyr become more and more desperate. Forcing myself to look away from Ariadne's scared eyes, I focused my whole attentions on the creature and felt my anger returning full force.

With a roar of anger, I threw the satyr to the ground. He skidded about ten feet away, leaving a trail of broken grass and dirt on the ground. He rolled onto his back as he moaned and cried in pain, his face bloody and bruised and his body limp with weakness.

But I did not stop there. I stormed up to him and planted my foot on his chest. I pressed the sole of my feet onto him slightly but with a lot of strength, and he immediately started to cry out in pain and agony.

I leaned my upper body down so that my face was a few inches from his. With venom of anger burning my tongue, I spat at him in warning, "Get out of here, you vile ass… Do not return to the revelry, unless you would wish to gain something even more painful than what I had done to you tonight… "

The minute I had taken my foot off, the satyr promptly got up onto his feet and staggered out of the area. When he had gone into the forest, I stayed where I was, glaring after him until I was sure that he had gone off.

And then, slowly and hesitantly, I took several deep breaths and turned around to face Ariadne.

She was still in that position, though she was trembling and shivering even more now as her eyes met mine. She flinched when I took a step towards her, but only continued to tremble when I made my way to her. I picked up the green dress that had fallen to the ground when I tackled the satyr to the lake, and silently held it out to her.

When she did not take it, seemingly hesitant to take her hands off herself, I decided to dress her for myself, not wanting her to bear the coldness of the night and the shame of being naked. Luckily for me, she did not flinch or start crying or screaming as I gently unwrapped her arms and slid the dress over her head, pulling it down her body. I was careful to mind my hands, not wanting to violate her in any other way than what I had done just now for her to see.

When she was fully covered but still shaking, I knew that she would not be able to walk due to her trauma. But I knew that it was best that neither of us stayed here any longer. Taking the initiative, I gently took her into my arms and lifted her up easily. I held her gently yet carefully to my chest and walked out of the area and into the forest.

As I walked, the air between us was tense and silent, and I could tell very well that she was now very afraid of _me_. It hurt me so much to realize this, but what was done was done. It was partially my mistake as well, for letting my anger towards the satyr cloud the reminder to keep my true self hidden from her knowledge.

Now that she had witnessed the strength that I had possessed, I knew there would be questions.

A _lot _of questions.

The minutes spent on walking finally came to an end when we had reached the grove. It was still quiet between us, the only sounds in the air was the chirping of crickets and the water flowing downstream.

Gently, I set Ariadne down against the tree. Her entire body was rigid, her arms still wrapped around herself as she eyed me warily with her red and teary grey-green eyes. I held up a finger, silently telling her to wait, before I made my towards the stream.

Tearing off a shred of cloth from my chiton, I dipped it into the cooling waters before returning to her. She was still in her rigid position, with her eyes still warily looking at me.

Slowly, I knelt right beside her and examined her face. There were a few minor scratches here and there, and tears stained her rosy cheeks, but other than that, she was fine. Just needed a little cleaning up.

With carefulness in my movements, I started to bring the wet shred of cloth to her face, wanting to help her.

But all of a sudden, she suddenly reacted.

Her hand reached up and slapped my approaching hand away, effectively flinging the wet cloth from my grip. She then planted the palms of both her hands on my chest and pushed me away before scrambling on her bottom further away from me. Her eyes no longer had wariness in them, but instead held anger and confusion.

"What. Just. Happened?" she questioned hotly under her breath in a hard voice.

I found myself being struck by anxiety now. Never had I wanted to be caught in such a position, especially by her. What was I going to do now? I knew that it was now the time for me to come clean and admit the entire truth, but I had hoped that it would come under better circumstances. Having just escaped from nearly being raped by a satyr was not the position I wanted Ariadne to be in when I told her the truth of who I was; she was now too fragile in a state that I was afraid that the truth would cause her to break.

"How in _bloody Tartarus _did you do that?!" she now screamed in rage. "No man could simply be able to fight such a beast! Especially with their own bare hands!"

I stayed quiet and only looked at her as she let out her anger. I did not want to make a move right now, afraid that I might incur her anger even more.

"And that creature somehow knew you! He called you 'my lord'! Why is that, Dion?!" she continued to press for answers hotly. "What are you not telling me?!"

With each seething word that escaped her lips, the anxiety within me continued to set in.

"**Who are you?!**"

Her eyes were tearing up again and her entire face was red with anger. But I could see clearly in her features her desperate yearn to understand what was going on. She really and desperately did want to know who I was, or more specifically…

"What are you?" she asked in whisper that was coated with fear.

I knew that this was it. There was no escaping from it. I had to tell her now, to no longer keep her in the dark of my true identity. I had done that long enough, and now the game of pretend was finally up for me.

Without hesitation, I finally revealed to her the truth.

"I am Dionysus."

* * *

Ariadne

I could feel a wave of emotions crash through my heart.

_Confusion… Anger… Fear… Betrayal…_

When he finally told me the secret that I had suspected he was keeping for so long, I had not wanted to believe him at first. Why should I? No one could just simply call themselves the name of a god. For a split second, I had thought that he was mental and crazy, since it had been slightly evidenced in his constant change of mood and personality.

But having personally witnessed what he had done to that horrible creature just now at the lake, I could not think of it like that now. Furthermore, he said with such honesty and truthfulness that it only made it so much more believable.

What he had just told me seemed more like the truth than all those other sorts of information he had told me in the past few days.

"You… You are…" I hesitated to say the name, but it managed to come out in a broken whisper, "Dio-ny-s-sus?"

He did not say anything, but he solemnly nodded his head in confirmation.

Still in disbelief, I just continued on. "Dionysus? As in… _the_ God of Wine… Dionysus? As in… _the _Olympian… Dionysus?"

"Yes," he replied seriously.

And at that very moment, I felt as though my heart stopped beating, and my mind suddenly started to become so very dizzy as it tried to process what was going on right now.

I covered my face with my hands, shutting my eyes in a squeeze as I tried to comprehend everything. "Oh, Gods… Oh, Gods above… This cannot be happening…"

I absolutely could not believe this. Why were all these things happening to me? First I got branded a 'traitor' in my own homeland, then I was abandoned here on Naxos by the damnable bastard known as Theseus, and now the man that I had first met on Naxos and who had helped me survive here and became acquainted with me was actually a _god_?

I could not believe this… I _absolutely_ could not believe this…

I felt a masculine hand touch my forearm shortly, and I immediately flinched from the contact. Tearing my hands from my face, I saw Dion – or Dionysus – kneeling right in front of me, with his hand in question extended out. I was shocked by how close he was, since I hadn't heard him approaching me while I was in my previous position.

Backing up a bit from him to maintain a safe distance between, I said to him, "You are a god."

He seemed confused, probably wondering why I was stating the obvious. "Yes," he answered simply.

Taking a deep breath, I continued on, "You are a _god_, and you never told me."

His dark hazel eyes began to look much more anxious now in a sudden instant. "Yes," he said.

"Why didn't you?" I questioned him, my voice now had dropped to a low murmur. "Why did you not tell me? Or more specifically, why _won't_ you?"

The anxiety in his dark eyes became mixed with hesitation, and he pursed his lips into a straight line, as though he was trying to prevent any words on his tongue from slipping past his lips. But I was not going to let him do that. It was time that I deserved some answers from him.

_Truthful_ answers.

"Why would you not tell me that you were a god, Dion? Or Dionysus, since that is your real name," I continued to press him, getting frustrated that he seemed to be refusing to answer. "What held you back?"

I continued to hold my gaze onto his, not even once tearing my eyes away. The more I looked at him, I noticed that he was slowly taking deep breaths and he looked thoughtful. I braced myself internally – mentally – for whatever he was going to tell me. But I prayed with all my heart that it would not be something that would drive me to rage.

He finally spoke after so long of silence. "When I first saw you that night on the beach, you looked so frightened and broken. I did not want to further worsen your state by revealing to you who I actually was. So I came to you in the guise of a mortal, because… at least… it would make myself seem 'normal' to you. And that way, it would be far more easier to interact with you. You would have had difficulty being in the presence of a god, and I only wished to make it easier."

Internally, I wanted to roll my eyes at him at his answer. He was a _god_, and he should have come up with a better excuse. But for some reason, I couldn't help but feel the earnest in his words, and note the sincerity his words portray.

However, I forced myself to not be so deeply affected by his tongue. I knew what gods were capable of. I knew very well of their ability to affect a person's – especially a woman's –emotions through charm, seduction and trickery. I knew the tales of many of lives who had spiraled down due to an encounter with a god. I knew what troubles could be brought forth just from having any sort of interaction with them.

Unfortunately, I had already – and unintentionally – ventured too deep into the danger zone to escape right now.

I could feel a muted pounding come from within my head, and I brought my fingers to my temples and rubbed gently to try to soothe it. "When were you planning to tell me all this?" I inquired of him. "Or were you even planning to tell me at all? Unless, you had wanted to keep it a secret for as long as you knew me?"

With a low and heavy sigh, he answered, "I do not really know, Ariadne… Maybe when I had already taken you somewhere you would be safe? Or maybe when after you had gotten over what had happened with Theseus…?"

Suddenly, I caught on to that last part he said, and I felt myself overridden with shock.

"You knew…"

He seemed confused by this. "Knew what?"

With a now rapidly-beating heart, I seethed under my breath, "You knew what had happened with Theseus… You knew that before we had even come across each other… You knew everything…"

I had half-expected him to deny my accusations and argue that he was innocent by telling – or maybe lying – to me that he did not know anything at all. However, he did not do that. Instead, guilt began to set into his perfectly handsome features, and he slowly nodded his head, admitting to the truth.

All was silent for the few seconds that followed after, nothing happening at all…

But with all the pent-up hurt and anger within me finally coming to a breaking point, I let out a scream and hurled myself at him.

When I had him on his back, with me on top of him, I started to pound my tightly-clenched fists at his chest, all while screaming, "**YOU LIAR! HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME?! WHY?!**"

I could not believe what I was doing right now; I was actually beating a god. How could I even have the audacity to do such a thing, and without even thinking twice before committing my shocking actions? But I was so consumed by the anger that I found that I could not care. I did not care that Dion/Dionysus was a god, I did not care that he had been someone I could consider a friend, and I did not care that he was stronger than me and thus could not feel any of my pathetic punches on his chest.

But all of a sudden, he stopped me by simply gripping my wrists in his. His hold was not painful, but it was very firm. Then he sat up, forcing me with the front of his body to sit up as well. I realized then that our position was very… unsuitable for the situation. I was straddling his thighs, with our hands in the tiny space between us and our faces inches apart.

Such a position would have been considered very intimate if it was not for the anger clearly seen on his face.

With venom clearly heard in his voice, he growled, "**AT LEAST I HELPED YOU, DIDN'T I?! AT LEAST I DIDN'T ABANDON YOU HERE AND LEAVE YOU TO ROT! AT LEAST I SAVED YOU FROM PERISHING RIGHT HERE ON THIS BLOODY ISLAND! IF I HADN'T BEEN THERE AT THE RIGHT TIME, YOU WOULD NOT EVEN LAST A DAY HERE!**"**  
**

The anger that was shown on his face and clear in his voice silenced me completely. As I remained silent and only stared at his fuming expression, I felt fear starting to develop in my heart. This was the first time I had seen him looking so very angry, and it terrified me immensely. It only made me even more scared that I may have crossed the line and had incurred his wrath upon me.

But as quickly as his anger appeared, it disappeared, suddenly changing into one of shock and regret.

"Gods above, I am so very sorry, Ariadne," he apologized in a low mutter, with utmost sincerity in his voice that had no traces of venom and fury left. "I did not mean to shout at you. It was just that I…"

He did not continue his words, but I was glad that he did not. I did not feel like speaking any more, and I was completely worn out from the heated exchange between us. I felt exhausted and I had no wish to continue this argument that had unintentionally sparked between us.

"Is there anything I can do for you now?" he asked me quietly, his eyes not leaving mine.

Willing myself to at least say a few more words to him, I told him just as quietly, "Take me to the beach. I wish to clear my head there."

* * *

Dionysus

It was still the dark hours of the wee morning. We have been here for a very long time, although the duration was the very least of our concerns now.

We both sat on the beach, where the water was close but could not touch us. Ariadne had been sitting quietly and gazing out at the dark sea, never once looking away except to glance up at the bright and luminous white moon. She looked so very deep in thought that I did not have the heart to pull her out of it, but the silence was starting to concern me after a while, until I finally could not handle it.

"Ariadne?"

She said nothing, but she turned her face away from the sea – finally – and looked at me.

Her eyes were blank, not holding one shred of emotion within them.

Gulping down a lump that was beginning to form in my throat, I asked warily, "Are you angry with me?"

I was afraid that she was, but I did not want her to be angry with me. If she was, then I would apologize to her, because I knew that I was to blame. I had lied to her, deceived her and had shouted at her in spontaneous moment of fury.

I hadn't meant to hurt her.

I had only wanted to help her.

* * *

Author's Note:

Wow. The satyr was predicted correctly in the last chapter! Well done!

Geez! Ariadne found out, and she's not really taking it so lightly! And Dionysus is getting all worried that his actions may cost him her presence! What's going to happen next to these two? How would Ariadne respond to his question?!

On Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	14. PART 1: Chapter 13

**_Part 1: Chapter 13_**

Ariadne

As I only looked into his wary and concerned hazel eyes and thought over what he had asked me, I realized then that, for some reason, I did not really feel angry at him. I may have been full of it during our heated argument in the grove, but I guessed that the fire had calmed down, or maybe had even died out.

Letting out a low breath, I told him, "I have a small feeling that I still am, but not majorly so, I think I may understand the reasons behind your actions. Although I may be angry that it was how it was, I could see now that it had never done me much harm."

In actual fact, maybe that was true. Alright, so he may have lied to me about everything from the beginning, and I do feel betrayed that he did. But he had not actually done anything to hurt me directly. Despite being a god who could have used me to his advantage, he had been nothing but helpful, kind and caring to me since the first time I met him. I remembered that night when we first met; I had been vile towards him, but he did not retaliate and calmly helped me by giving me advice. And since that night on, he had been one of the best people that had ever entered in my life.

Furthermore, he had saved me from that monstrous and vile satyr. If it hadn't been for him… I do not even dare to imagine the horrifying possibilities that could have happened to me from that point on.

I could see him expressing slight relief, although there was tension still in his eyes. Probably still unsure of how to approach me now, since I finally knew his secret.

In a voice that seemed mournful, he told me, "I am so sorry, Ariadne. I really and truthfully hadn't meant for things to go this way. Since I had first seen you, right here on this same beach, I wanted to do nothing but help you."

"Why did you want to help me?" I asked him, genuinely curious. "What made you want to help me?"

His answer came faster than I had expected.

"I don't know why, Ariadne. But the minute I saw you, I knew I could not just leave you alone. When I first saw you, you were crying in pain, anger, sadness and remorse. The sight of you under so much burden made me feel something; something that made me want to help you. Even if I had hesitated in making myself known to you, I knew that I still wanted to give you aid, when you are at when you most needed it."

His eyes never left mine, and I could see how much emotions were running through them. My mother always used to tell me that the eyes were the window to the soul, and one could always see what another was really feeling just by looking at the eyes. Daedalus had also taught me that we could also tell whether a person was lying just by looking at their eyes.

I knew that as a god, Dion had the power to get away with anything. Not say that I could blame him; that may be just the nature of gods. However, there was something about him – what he had done and what he had just said – that, although I was quite unsure, made him seem different.

His words surprised me and left me in silent awe. Never before had I ever dreamed that I would come across a god, much less have one who would speak sincerely and actually apologize and explain in earnest for his actions. But seeing him do those things made him seem more different than how I imagined a god should have acted.

He seemed more… human.

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts when I felt his hand suddenly latch onto mine. His hand was warm and gentle, but it held mine hesitantly and carefully, as though he was… _afraid_.

With a sorrowful voice, he said, "I apologize once again for my actions, Ariadne. I had no right to keep the truth from you, but I did not want to frighten you after all that has happened to you. I had wanted for you to be comfortable with me in your presence until I find that timing was right for me to reveal who I was to you. I had never intended to hurt you. I had never intended to deceive you. I had only intended to help you."

I felt my lips slowly pull into a smile at his words, and I willed myself to hold back his hand just as gently. He was surprised by my actions, shown by how his eyes widened slightly at the sight of my hand and his perfect arched eyebrows raised in speculation. When he looked up at me and saw the smile on my face, he smiled too, looking once again like the handsome and friendly man I've known since the beginning of my time here.

Keeping my voice smooth, I told him, "I understand, my lord."

The reason I called him 'lord' was because I felt that it was now necessary. He was a _god_, and I was just mortal. He was a being greater than even the greatest kings on Earth. He was one of the Twelve Olympians, the highest order of divine beings in the universe. Despite my former status as a princess, I knew of my place far beneath him, and I knew that respect was expected to be given to him by me.

But when I had referred to him by the title, it had made him frown in disapproval. "No. No, do not call me that, Ariadne," he told me firmly. "We have become too friendly with each other, and I find it awful to refer to each other by title."

Hiding my hesitancy, I replied, "I understand, but I must admit that I find it a bit strange to suddenly call you 'Dionysus' after so long. I apologize for that."

Luckily, he did not seem angry, but merely understandable. Gripping my hand a little more, he told me with a smile, "Then just keep on calling me 'Dion'."

For some strange reason, I find that I preferred it like that, and I nodded in agreement.

* * *

Dionysus

When dawn broke, Ariadne had fallen asleep, slump against my side.

As she slept, I had my arm wrapped around her, ensuring that she does not slump off to the sand. I cherished in the feel of her being so close to me, internally grateful that, despite the fact that she knew the truth and knew the dangers that had come with it, she was still willing to allow herself to be close to me. I was relieved that she did not shun me completely. I think I too may have found it difficult to be apart from her.

As she slept soundly, I looked out at the wide landscape of the sea as I listened to the crashing of the waves, the first calls of the seabirds, and her soft and gentle breathing. I was delved into deep thought, wondering to myself what would happen from here on. Now that Ariadne knew that I was a god, would anything change between us? What could happen now? What if she decided to annul our friendship because of our vast differences in being, or what if she would continue on as normal?

Worse come to worse, she might ask me to take her away from here and back to civilization. Yes, I knew that it was the right thing to do, since it would be her wish and decision. But, although I knew that it was selfish of me to think this way, I did not really wish to do that. Sending her back to live in cities among others of her kind would mean that I would have to cease contact with her. It was not really dangerous for a god to be among mortals most of the time, but it was indeed tiresome, since one would have to fully disguised themselves as mortal in order to not risk anything.

And like I had said, I did not want to be apart from her. Just the thought of not having her near me, where I could not be sure that she was alright, made me feel uncomfortable.

Suddenly, I was pulled out of my thoughts by a sudden aura that had appeared somewhere in the forest. Immediately, I sensed the familiarity of the said aura, and knew that she was here before she started approaching.

I then realized that, now that Ariadne knew that I was a god, she should know that 'Cynthia' was a goddess too, and that she was actually Artemis. But I did not wish to tell her that. I did not want to breach Artemis' privacy. However, if Ariadne would like to find out, I prefer that she learnt from my half-sister than from me.

Gently, I shook the sleeping girl awake. "Ariadne… Wake up," I murmured softly into her ear, knowing that she could hear me when her eyes fluttered open.

"Hmm? What is it?" she asked groggily in a voice still thick with sleep. "What's going on, Dion?"

Releasing her so that she could sit up on her own, I told her, "Cynthia's coming, Ariadne. She's looking for you."

Immediately, Ariadne looked around the beach, but became confused when she saw that we were alone. "How do you know she's coming, Dion?" she questioned me.

As I made to stand, I told her informatively, "I can feel her approaching. She's looking for you." And then, with pity heard clear in my tone, I added hesitantly, "I'm sorry to say, Ariadne, but I need to go back to where my cult is located. They would be looking for me, and I do not want them wreak havoc if I do not appear."

Suddenly, Ariadne began to look frightened and worried. Her grey-green eyes turned wide with fear, and she pleaded in a wavering voice, "No… No… Please don't leave me alone, Dion… Please…"

My heart swelled with so much pity for her that it began to feel heavy with guilt. I have seen such a look of terror on her face too many times already, and it still made me feel pitiful to see her like this. I wanted very much for her to not be afraid. I too did not want to leave her alone. However, I – unfortunately – knew that I needed to get back to my followers.

I knelt down to meet her eyes, and my hand instinctively reached out to gently cup her cheek, the pad of my thumb smoothing over her cheekbone as a sort of soothing gesture. Her own hand reached up to place itself over mine, her fingers filling the gaps in between mine. For some reason, this felt somewhat natural, and it had a nice feeling to it; both to me and to her, I knew.

Continuing to run my thumb over her cheek gently, I told her softly, "I have to go back, Ariadne, but I will come back. Even if I'm not beside you, I would never leave you alone. I'll always come back for you, no matter what."

A change in her eyes occurred then; the look of fear and anxiety suddenly changed to one of assurance and certainty. Calmness washed over her features, clearing away the worry lines on her beautiful face.

As she brought her other hand to gently hold my wrist, she asked me, "Do you promise, Dion?"

Ah, such a word to be used. But I knew that I could not simply 'promise' her this. It was not strong enough.

Instead, I told her firmly and truthfully, "I swear."

Ariadne looked taken aback by my words, but suddenly a smile slowly formed on her pink lips. Seeing her smile took my breath away, and I could not help but smile back at her. This only helped to increase the feelings felt in this moment shared between us, and it felt so right and so good that it almost hurt to pull away from her.

She remained seated on the sand while I started to walk away, but I then stopped and said, "Ariadne?"

"Yes, Dion?" she asked, her eyes holding onto mine.

With a deep breath, I told her, "If there anything else you want to find out about Cynthia, just ask her directly to the point, alright?"

As I walked away, leaving Ariadne confused and curious, I wondered to myself if this was the right thing to do. But in the end, I knew that it was.

I shouldn't keep Ariadne from myself anymore.

* * *

Ariadne

Back in Crete, I knew of small groups who worshiped Dionysus and his acts. But they were not large compared to the other followings of other deities, since the cult of Dionysus was fairly new compared to the rest and was not as widespread, and it was even looked down upon by other for the nuisance it brought. The followers of Dionysus were just as wild as he was, even to the point of madness without the drunkenness. They worshiped the ecstasy as though it were a part of them, and some have even lost themselves as they gave up all self-control they've had of their bodies.

Whilst my family and I do not disagree with any of the worships, since each worship to different gods and goddesses were different in their own ways, we do not really practise the acts of Bacchic revelry.

With this knowledge all in my head, endless possibilities and thoughts were swimming through my mind, and now that I have known that Dion was actually Dionysus, I may have managed to solve the mystery behind all those strange happenings that had occurred.

Firstly; remembering the drunken shrieks and laughter that I heard in the night that had always frightened me, I realized then that whoever it was may have been Bacchic followers. Who else would have made those noises so shrill and so full of intoxication? Though the thought that they had been so very close to me still scares me, I felt somewhat intrigued that they had been near.

Secondly; Dionysus was the God of Wine, known for his rituals that worshiped wine and the intoxicating ecstasy it brought. Although, I found it quite strange that with me, he was not like the wild god he was described to be. Maybe this was just one side of him that I have seen. Also, he may also be a bit wild in the way his emotions could shift so quickly and abruptly, without even anything to set it off.

But now that those two were figured out, only one remained.

What part does Cynthia have in this?

Before he left, Dion had told me that if I had any curiosities about her, I should ask her myself. Why did he suddenly say that? I could only conclude that he implied that Cynthia's appearance may have not been out of coincidence, and that she too was not who she made herself to be.

But what was it?

"Anything wrong?"

Suddenly breaking out of the long train of thought I had unconsciously entered, I turned my head to the side to look at Cynthia.

"You are not usually as silent as now," she pointed out. "Is something bothering you?"

She and I were back in the grove, sitting by the stream with a basket of fruits she had picked beside us. She was sitting behind me, gently combing and braiding my hair; she had asked me if I wanted her to do it, and I agreed.

As I thought of what to say, I began to decide upon myself whether or not I should ask her about herself. I know that I shouldn't, but after the whole fiasco last night, I don't think I could bear the thought of another piece of viable information hidden away from me.

With a deep breath to calm my hammering heart, I said, "If I asked you something important, will you please promise not to be angry with me?"

Cynthia's hands on my hair stilled slightly, and she looked at me blankly. "I can make no promises, Ariadne," she told me. "But I will listen."

That was not a good enough response to me, but that would have to do. I could not keep it inside any longer. I needed to ask her, despite the consequences.

"Who are you?"

Cynthia's midnight blue eyes on mine started to become confused, but I stayed firm and asked, "Who are you, really?"

"What do you mean?" she asked me in confusion. "You know who I am."

I sighed and shook my head, hoping very much that things did not go awry.

"May I tell you something?"

Cynthia nodded her head in agreement silently.

I do hope that whatever I was about to say does not cause harm to Dion, but I had a strong, aching feeling that Cynthia _may _have known, and maybe it would not hurt to ask her to be sure.

With a deep breath, I began to tell her the truth about Dion. As I spoke of the details of all that had happened the previous night, she just sat there, quietly listening attentively without interruption. Her dark eyes remained void of any emotion as I talked, and I was getting more worried that I _may _have unintentionally talked about Dion's true identity to an absolute stranger. But nonetheless, I continued, having delved too in to get out now.

When I finally finished, and I was taking another deep breath to recover myself from talking for so long, I quietly asked her, "That's it."

Cynthia's gaze had not removed itself from mine, but something in her eyes changed.

With a sigh, she said then in a low murmur, "Well, then. I'm glad that this is finally over."

Confused, I asked her, "What do you mean by that? What's 'over'?"

Folding her hands properly on her lap, she told me informatively, "This whole game of pretending that Dionysus and I have been playing around you."

Shock and surprise took over me at once. So they _did _know each other, but they have been keeping it a secret from me. I began to wonder how exactly they were connected.

Cynthia suddenly told me, "It's about time I too told you the truth."

Shifting around to face her, I asked her quietly, "About who you are?"

She nodded her head, and finally revealed all to me.

"First of all, know that Dionysus had summoned me to give you aid. In actuality, I am not supposed to, because you are not considered to be under my patronage. But he relented to have me agree, and seeing how pleading he was and how much he wanted to help you, I eventually did."

Hearing that, I could feel myself smiling. So Dionysus' willingness to help me had been shown to others as well, and I was glad that he did in fact seemed earnest in doing so.

"What aid have you given me?" I asked her.

With a smile, her eyes gestured to our surrounding area, and she answered, "He had asked me to give you protection in my wilds. In addition, I have also given you my sacred grove as your temporary home."

All of a sudden, everything became clear to me, and using the new information given by her, I was finally able to figure out her identity. And when I did, I was so overcome with shock at the reality of who was actually in front of me.

"That… That means…. You… You are…"

She must have read my mind, because she nodded with a small smile and said, "Yes, Ariadne. I am actually Artemis."

I exhaled a gasp and I had to cover my gaping mouth to hide my shock. I absolutely could not believe it. I was actually in the presence of Artemis, _the _Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild. Who I had believed was 'Cynthia' was actually 'Artemis'.

"I can see that this is all too much for you to take in, but I can assure you that everything is alright," Artemis said reassuringly. "And please do not be angry that we had to keep our identities a secret. You see, for a deity to suddenly reveal their identities to a mortal is dangerous, and we would rather not take risks when in their presence. We had to get to know you in the guise of humans until you are able to adapt to us."

She then reached out to take my hand, holding it in hers gently. I allowed her to do so, holding back just as gently, finding her touch to be quite comforting, like the touch of a loving sister. I sighed at the sudden memory of me holding Phaedra's hand, but I willed myself to just focus on the now.

"I'm very sorry for what had happened to you last night, but I am thankful that Dionysus had been there to save you. Do know that it would forever remain an unfortunate incident, but gladly one that was avoided. Dionysus is sure to keep you under his watchful eye from now onward."

"How can you be sure about that?" I asked her.

Chuckling lightly, she replied, "Dionysus has been insistent about your safety and comfort from the very beginning of your time here, and it seems to me that he regards it as a priority."

"Are you sure about that?" I questioned her, very uncertain.

With a confident smile that enhanced her beauty, Artemis nodded her head in certainty. "I know so, Ariadne. Have faith and trust in Dionysus."

Hearing her last words suddenly made me realize that, deep in my heart, I _did_ trust Dionysus. It may be too rash, I do not know. But in the end, he had been that had indeed helped me during my time here on Naxos, and he had even taken the initiative to ask Artemis for aid. For a god to go through such lengths for me – a simple mortal – was indeed touching to think of, and I was even more glad that he had found me, and that I found him.

With a confident nod, I answered, "Yes, I do trust him."

Artemis' smiled widened, looking glad at my answer. I was in awe of her beauty and how warm and comforting her presence was; such a far cry from the tale of the cold and elusive huntress that she was reputed to be. But I was glad she was unlike those tales, as it made it easier for me to be with her.

Suddenly, she stood up, holding my hand as she helped me up as well. "Come," she said.

Curious as she led me into a certain direction of the forest, I asked, "Where are we going?"

Still continuing to take me to wherever it was she taking me, she answered, "Time to take you back to Dionysus. He's probably worried for you right now."

* * *

Author's Note:

Aww! Thank goodness Ariadne accepted Dionysus for who he was, and I'm seriously glad that she knows everything now! Makes things a lot more easier for me! :P

And oh-ho-ho-ho! Do I see a moment of fluffy attraction there between Dionysus and Ariadne?! :D

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	15. PART 1: Chapter 14

**_Part 1: Chapter 14_**

Dionysus

Watching the celebration going on from where I was seated on my wooden throne, I found that I could not concentrate on the sounds of laughter and the sight of my followers dancing and drinking to their heart's content.

With my elbow planted on the armrest and my hand supporting my head, I could only watch in silence and quietly caress the small head of the baby leopard on my lap as my mind was - as usual – filled with thoughts of Ariadne. I knew that she was with 'Cynthia' by now, since she usually devoted much of the day time to being with her. I wondered if she had taken my 'advice' and had asked 'Cynthia' such questions, and I also wondered if Artemis would answer them.

_If she did, and had given Ariadne some explanation for my actions, then it would make things easier for me… _I thought to myself deeply. _I wonder how Ariadne would think of this. Thank Mount Olympus she did not shun me at first. But how now once she knows the truth from Artemis?_

All of a sudden, I was pulled out of my long train of thoughts when the sounds of laughter and music were immediately cut off by sounds of shouting.

"A guest! A guest! A guest!"

"Someone has entered the revelry!"

"A goddess walks among us!"

I was then pulled out of my thoughts and looked up ahead to see that the crowd had parted into two, leaving an ample amount of space for Artemis to walk up to me. She was wearing just a simple white chiton, which had been her only disguise as 'Cynthia', but I could feel her aura radiating with absolute power as she walked to the throne with an air of firmness.

Usually, if a new female appeared at the frenzy, she would have received multitudes of perverted catcalls from the satyrs and lustful ogling from the Maenads, who were bisexual with a strong appetite for the sweetness of another female. But I suspected that since they knew Artemis was no normal female and that she was a goddess, it was why they were holding their tongues. I was glad that they did; I would not allow anyone to disrespect her.

I stood up from the throne as the baby leopard on my lap jumped to the ground on its feet. I stared at her in shock. "Artemis. What are you doing here?" I questioned her with concern. "Has something happened to Ariadne? Is there anything wrong?"

Artemis gave a bow of her head as a sign of greeting. "Dionysus, I come here not to bring bad news of Ariadne, as nothing has happened to her and that she is still safe," she told me informatively, and I released a sigh of relief. "However, I come here to discuss some matters concerning her."

"And what matters are those?" I questioned as I walked down the dais, approaching her.

Turning to walk away, telling me with her midnight blue eyes to follow, she said to me, "Come with me, and we may discuss for ourselves."

As Artemis walked back the way she came from, I announced to my followers to continue on with their celebration, and that I would return soon. All of them eyed me and the retreating goddess with curious gazes, but nonetheless, they started to once again slip into their festivities.

When we were out of the camp boundaries, far enough that the music was just a very soft noise in the distance, I asked Artemis, "Does she know everything now?"

Turning to look at me, she replied, "Yes, she does. Even of what had happened the night before. I must say, Dionysus, that I am glad that you had saved her. Such a brave and noble feat, especially towards someone in need such as her."

I bowed my head as a sign of thanks. "It was a mistake to leave her to herself, but she had indicated her want for privacy as she bathed, and I could only see to it that she has it. I did not want to make her uncomfortable," I told Artemis. "But thank Mount Olympus that I got back in the nick of time. I do not know what I would have done if I had been too late."

Until now, the memory of last night was still fresh on my mind. I thought back to the Maenads who had encountered me on the way back. I had seen the group among the camp, and I silently cursed them for having distracted me in getting back to Ariadne, especially the one who had forced her lips upon mine. If it had not been for them, I would have been able to make it in time to prevent the whole incident from happening. My curse proved effective, as I had found them crying immensely when just one sip of wine to their taste-buds had caused their tongues to become completely numb with the inability to taste the sweetness of the drink, and had also caused the special Maenad to have her lips become so swollen when the sweet liquid touched her there, making it as though her pair had been stung by a hive of angry bees. I made their punishment a severe and horrifying one in the opinions of most Maenads; the inability to enjoy wine and being somewhat allergic to it.

But yet, as I pondered on the thought a bit more, I realized that if they hadn't distracted me, the satyr would not have found Ariadne, I would not have arrived to save her, and she would not witness the truth of my actual godhood. I must admit that they had helped to play some part in my reveal to Ariadne, although they had still indirectly caused her to get into harm's way. So I lifted their curse, thinking that three hours of suffering from numb tongues – and a pair of swollen lips – had been enough for them.

I felt Artemis' hand touch my shoulder, and she gave me a half-smile. "Well, I, for one, am happy that you had respected her privacy. Honestly, I would not have expected you to act in such a way, Dionysus. That is somewhat unusual in the case of gods," she said in a tone of amusement and curiosity. "What made you be in such a way?"

_What indeed…_ I wondered, being myself uncertain.

Suddenly, I heard my name being called.

"Dion!"

I looked up and saw that Artemis and I had reached a cluster of trees, and Ariadne had just risen from sitting on a rock at the base of one of those trees. I felt my heart pound with gratitude that she was alright.

Ariadne approached me immediately, and her hands reached out touch mine. I felt my breathing hitch when her skin touched mine; it was as though her simple touch had caused something in me to react. It made me smile, which then caused her own.

Standing at the side, Artemis then said, "I've brought you here, Dion, to discuss with you and Ariadne."

Looking away from Ariadne's soft grey-green eyes, I asked, "About what?"

Looking over to Ariadne, Artemis explained, "Ariadne knows our identities now, and she cannot be left alone with that form of knowledge. She must either be bound to one of us, or she risks punishments and dangers."

I felt myself getting confused with this conversation, whereas I could feel Ariadne starting to get worried. "I won't tell anyone about this," she said firmly, but with desperation. "I promise and swear upon my life that I will keep this to myself. I would do this no matter what."

Hearing her say those words made me smile again. As I looked back into her eyes, I could not help but appreciate how respectful she was being to both me and Artemis, despite the fact that I knew she was still shaken from the thought of us being divines. But still, to show such devotion was still quite a thing to be cherished. At least, in my case.

Artemis gave a half-smile, but it disappeared and she said in a grim tone, "I know that, Ariadne. But it is still better to be safe than sorry. A mortal that knows the truth of gods and has interacted with them but have no such bond to them is dangerous, and it also renders them vulnerable. There has been such a case of a mortal woman, a very long time ago, and it did not end well."

I think I knew what she meant by the last part, seeing as how she was grimly looking at me when she said it. But I felt nothing of it, as I always had during every mention of my deceased mother.

Artemis looked back to Ariadne and continued on. "As a result, you need to be bound to one of us, because we are the god and goddess you have interacted first-hand with."

"That shouldn't be a problem," I said, to which Ariadne agreed with a nod of her head.

In response, Artemis sighed in disappointment, and replied, "Well, there is a tiny problem to that. You see, Ariadne is no longer a maiden…"

It was then Ariadne flinched, no doubt at the bitter sting of that unfortunate fact. I was very sure that right now, as told by the grimacing look on her face, that she was now that she was thinking in regret of Theseus. However, I did not want her to think of that bastard anymore. All of that was in the past now. He could no longer be considered an important part of her. It was because of him she lost everything that she had to own.

Now, all that Ariadne had was Artemis… and me.

I gently squeezed her hands, causing her to look up at me. I held her gaze as I smiled at her, wanting to tell her that everything was okay now, and that she was here and safe with me. As she leveled her gaze with mine, she smiled back.

Artemis continued on with her words. "… and I am sorry to say that I cannot allow Ariadne to be bound to me, as it is already considered a rule that no non-virgins can enter my Hunt and be my follower. As that is the case, the only way left is for Ariadne to be allowed into your Bacchic rituals, Dionysus. Let her join in as a worshiper of wine, as a participant of your revelry. Let her be your follower."

Immediately afterwards, I replied, "Very well, then."

Ariadne looked at me as though I had just told her the most shocking thing in the world. Her eyes widened noticeably, staring at me in shock and awe. Her lips parted slightly, as though wishing to tell me something, but unable to find words to come to her tongue.

"Are you sure, Dionysus?" Artemis questioned me. "I do not want you to do something that you might regret later."

Ariadne looked at me in a way as to tell me that I had to be sure of the decision myself, and that she too did not want me to do something I might regret later. However, I could see deep into her that she was indeed hoping that I would agree, that I would accept her.

I nodded my head in confirmation. "Yes, I am," I answered. "But only if Ariadne wishes to as well."

With a smile, Ariadne nodded her head in answer. "Yes, I do wish to," she said.

Artemis nodded her head in understanding, saying, "Well, then. That's settled."

"I will take her back with me right now," I said. Then I turned to her and gave her a thankful smile, "Thank you for helping me take care of her, Artemis. I truly do appreciate it."

"I too must thank you, Artemis," Ariadne added in, stepping closer to the goddess. "I don't know how I could ever repay your kindness."

Smiling, Artemis told her, "You are very welcome, Ariadne. And you can do so by having a good time with Dionysus."

She did not finish her sentence to explain the last part, but I was internally glad that she did not, and I was also glad that she would wish such a thing.

Artemis then turned away, an indication that she was about to go. "I must leave now. I think I have done enough here," she said kindly. "But I will return every once in a while, to see the both of you."

She then bade us farewell, and we did the same. And just like that, Artemis suddenly disappeared into thin air, her aura slowly fading away into nothing.

Very soon, it was just me and Ariadne.

* * *

Ariadne

When Artemis had left, Dionysus turned me to face him, holding me by my shoulders at his arms' length. He looked at me squarely in the eyes seriously, telling me, "I will take you to my cult now, if you wish. If you do not, tell me."

My hands went up to place themselves on his, and I replied, "No, I do wish to, Dion. It's just that I am slightly nervous. For you see, I have never ever taken part in a Dionysian ritual before, and I am afraid that I am unable to right now, because I am unsure of what I must do."

His lips pulled into a smile of reassurance; the sort that I loved to see.

With a hearty chuckle, he said huskily, "Calm your qualms, Ariadne. If you do not know, remember that I am there to guide you. And, most importantly, I am there for you."

His words sent me into a calm state, and I knew that what he was saying was truth. I could immediately feel myself getting more relaxed and confident. I really did wonder why he had such an effect on me; he could turn me from feeling like a fearful little girl who would be frightened by every little thing to a confident princess that would take on a war without hesitation.

Dionysus took my hand in his and he led me in the way he had come from. I followed without hesitation, wondering where exactly was he going to lead me.

As he continued to take me in a certain direction, I then became aware of the sound of music. I hadn't noticed it a while ago, but I could right now. It was loud, melodic and rhythmical, with a sort of wild and feral feel to it. With each step closer I took to the source, the music started having an effect on me, such as making my heart race to the pace of the pounding rhythm.

All of a sudden, Dionysus stopped, and so did I. Turning to look at me, he informed, "We're about to enter my camp's boundaries. I had placed a barrier such that wandering mortals would not be able to enter. But because you have chosen to be a part of my cult, and because you are with me, I will give you allowance to enter." Just then, his gaze turned more concerned and worrying, and he asked, "But all I ask is; are you ready, Ariadne? You will see things that you may have never seen before, and maybe some things that you may not want to see. But I do not want you to be afraid."

I squeezed his hand gently in response. "I cannot promise you that I will not be afraid," I admitted to him truthfully, and then adding, "But with you, I think I can face it, no matter what. Maybe in time, I would learn to let go of my anxiety."

Dionysus looked at me seriously in the eye, not saying a word. I looked back, but I then began to get worried by his silence. Was there something wrong? Was it something I said? I could only hope that he was not thinking of annulling my allowance into his cult.

But all of a sudden, he took my hand in his and brought it to his lips. He planted a soft kiss to my knuckles, and I felt my heart skip a beat and my breathing hitching.

I have received many kiss to the knuckles by court officials and possible suitors who hoped to gain my attentions, and I had become used to such feeling. But the feeling of Dionysus' soft, masculine lips on my skin felt like nothing in this world. I began to feel a jolt within myself, as though his lips had sent my nerves on an end, creating some sort of sharp tingling sensation within me. I could not help but be amazed by how soft and gentle he was being, and how a simple kiss to my knuckles can cause me to frazzle.

When Dionysus pulled my hand away from his lips, much to my utter dismay, he told me, "It's good to know, Ariadne."

And then, without another word, he pulled me pass the thicket of bushes.

Another sudden sensation overwhelmed me. I could not explain it as it was something I have never felt before. But it caused a sudden tingling sensation on my skin and it sent my heart racing into a furious pace. I could almost feel a sudden quick flow of blood through my veins, and I felt flushed immediately. My eyesight blurred for a very quick and short second before it came back with a new sort of vibrancy.

And when I was finally aware of where I was, I absolutely could not believe it.

* * *

Dionysus

The minute I stepped with Ariadne through the boundaries, my followers immediately felt that something was amiss and directed their eyes in our direction. When they saw the new person beside me, they became curious, but that curiosity grew even more when they realized that Ariadne was just a normal mortal girl.

They cleared a path for us in the way they did when Artemis first came. They stood back, taking in the image of me and Ariadne walking through. I knew from the look in their eyes what they were probably thinking; who was this mortal girl with long pale blonde hair and wide grey-green eyes, and why have I brought her amongst them?

Ariadne could only gaze at all of them in quiet awe, but I could feel her tensing when she caught sight of a few satyrs who were gazing at her too closely. She also took in the sight of wildness in each and every Maenad who were staring at her as though she was some sort of precious treasure that they wanted to steal, and the many various wildcats that were roaming around the vicinity.

She let out a quiet yelp of fear, and both her hands wrapped around my arm tightly, as though looking for comfort and maybe even for protection. I could feel her starting to tremble in fear, in addition to the sudden racing pace of her heartbeat. But I was glad that she didn't start reacting in fright, as that would surely cause a form of negative impression.

Instinctively, I wrapped my arm around her, holding her to me and out of possible harm's way. I continued to lead her ahead, to the dais. I made sure that my stance gave a message that no one was to touch Ariadne unless they wanted trouble from me, which was maybe why no one had made any move onto her.

When we had reached the top of my dais, I turned Ariadne around in my arms so that she faced the crowd who were still looking up at us in confusion and curiosity. I moved to stand behind her, so that everyone could get a good look at her. I placed my hands on her shoulders, keeping her still.

Taking a deep breath, I finally let out my announcement; my voice firm and stable, loud and clear. Ariadne stayed still in my hands, keeping her eyes on the huge crowd of my followers.

This was it.

* * *

Author's Note:

Hello, guys! Sorry if this chapter seemed short! You see, my exams have just started and I am really cramming a lot! Of course, I would set aside some time to write out the new chapter, but I may face some dilemma this hectic week. Worse come to worse, there could be a fifty-fifty chance that there would be no update on Friday. However, I will try to not make this so, and bring all of you the next chapter... HOPEFULLY!

Anyway, sorry about the cliffhanger! :P Ariadne's about to get initiated into the Bacchic rituals! But how will she, Dionysus and the followers react to it? Would Ariadne be scared, or would she accept their ways?

(Hopefully!) On Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	16. PART 1: Chapter 15

_**Part 1: Chapter 15**_

Dionysus

Moving a bit to the side so that my face too could be clearly seen, with my hands still placed on her shoulders with gentle firmness, I announced loudly and jubilantly, "My followers! I am pleased to tell all of you that today, we have gained a new follower into my revelry!"

The crowd immediately went into a new frenzy, being very amused by this new fact. They started chattering and murmuring and laughing joyfully as they spoke to each other of the mortal girl standing right in front of me and right in front of them on the dais. They clearly let their surprise and excitement become known, and everyone was consumed by it.

Keeping the joy, which was truly genuine, in the loudness and clarity of my voice, I added on, hoping to give Ariadne a good welcoming.

"Her name is Ariadne. She is a special one, for she is a mortal; a first in our revelry! Indeed, someone to behold! Take joy that, from this day onward, she is now one of us!"

The crowd started screaming in joy, jumping and laughing and acting all exuberant. They were obviously excited at the news of a new one, as they had always enjoyed new company and one person more to enjoy in the delights of wine and ecstasy. But they seemed even more excited at the prospect that their new member was a mortal, which many considered as a 'foreigner'.

Ariadne seemed to slightly relax at my people being all excited of her presence, as shown by the small smile that was slowly building up on her lips. In my heart, I felt relieved that this was so. Maybe this was the sign of that it would indeed turn out well.

"Bring forth the wine!" I called out loudly, and my words were then met by the appreciative yells and laughter. In no less than ten seconds, everyone was drinking the wine as though they were inhaling it as air. A Maenad approached me with a tray holding a bronze chalice of wine. I promptly took the cup and she went off wordlessly.

The distinct scent and color of the wine made me realize that it was the exact same sort of wine I had first given Ariadne. In that moment, I began to recall how wild and ecstatic she had become when she drank a vial full of it. Now, I began to wonder what would happen if she drank a whole chalice.

I held the chalice to her, holding it in a way that it seemed as though I was gifting her with something. Her grey-green looked at the cup and the dark purple liquid it held warily. Once again, I could feel hesitancy radiating off from her. But just as I was about to give her another form of encouragement, she then lifted her gaze up to mine, holding it.

I smiled reassuringly and told her gently with my eyes gesturing to the chalice, "Drink."

Something in her tense eyes softened then, and she took the cup from my hand slowly, to which I was glad. As she held it in both her hands, cradling it delicately as though she was handling a very fragile toy, I could feel the eyes of the crowd locked on her, waiting for her to take the first sip of wine that would ultimately brand her as one of us.

Ariadne held my eyes once again, as though looking for some sort of push to do it. I continued to smile for her, wanting very much to give her comfort, and gave her a since bow of my head. As though that was the push, she finally lifted the rim of the chalice to her lips, tipping it up a bit so that the wine could flow to her awaiting mouth.

When she took a first gulp, the crowd erupted into yells and roars and calls of excitement and thrill. I could hear people chanting her name in encouragement and joy, which fueled her to drink up every single drop of liquid that touched the bronze of the chalice.

And I too was excited and thrilled, knowing that Ariadne was finally bound to me. Never before had I imagined this girl to be initiated into my rituals. From my first impressions of her, she was a very prim and proper young woman who might have been quite a stickler for rules (although the latter thought was immediately abolished when I heard of what had happened between her and Theseus). But having spent a few days with her – just the two of us – must have made something in her loosen up a bit. She seemed more open and carefree now; indeed unlike the reserved and tensed girl I found at the beach.

Just then, Ariadne pulled the chalice away from her lips and gasped in relief. The crowd erupted into another really loud roar of cheer, their noises seeming to have bounced off the trees that surrounded the clearing. I took the empty chalice from Ariadne's hand and immediately gave it to one of the servant maids before I stepped forward to grip Ariadne by her arms, keeping her upright and stable.

Her eyes looked dazed and mesmerized and her entire face was flushed a faint red, indicating sudden blood flow. But what I noticed most of all was that there was a drop of wine left on her bottom lip. I couldn't help but look at it, admiring how it glistened wetly in the sun like Ariadne's pale pink lip. The sight of it seemed so delectable for some reason, and I did not realize that I was slowly leaning my face towards her until a few seconds later.

Unfortunately, I was cut short when Ariadne wiped away the stray drop from her lip with the back of her hand. I could feel myself get disappointed, but nonetheless, I kept a straight face so that she would not know that I had been contemplating such a decision.

_No…No, do not do that… _I told myself mentally as I willed myself to smile when Ariadne started giggling heartily. _Not yet…_

* * *

Ariadne

Very soon, night fell, and all that I have seen in the cult were one of the most shocking and awe-striking sights to behold.

Like any other Dionysian cult I knew little of, everyone seemed absolutely devoted to wine. I understood why now, seeing as how it was so divinely and heavenly delicious since having drunk it twice. But to lose all self-control of one's body to the potency of the wine was something that only a Bacchic follower would do willingly.

When the sun had set and night took over the skies, everyone chugged down wine as though their lives depended on it and, very soon, started to act incoherent and out of their minds. They started screaming and shouting for no reason, giggling and laughing as though everything around them was funny, and dancing wildly and clumsily on their feet to the beat of the loud drums and the tune of the cheery music. In no time, everyone was shedding off their clothes, leaving them completely bare for all to see. Not that they seem to mind.

From where I sat on the armrest of Dionysus' throne, I could not help but look away from the sudden exposure of skins. Like any other person, I was taught to look away from a naked body, for the sake of modesty and respect. As I only stared at the wine in my chalice, I could hear different variations of moaning and screaming and maniac laughter midst the music. I realized then that it was the exact same sort of noises I had heard at night when I was in the grove, and then I further realized that some of them were actually… _coupling. _

I should not really be surprised, since for the Bacchic followers to lose all control of their body would also mean they would succumb to the sexual urges that their bodies held. I knew it was considered a norm in most Dionysian rituals, and thus should not be looked down upon by a member. However, I was not trying to be disrespectful, but due to the sort of upbringing I had growing up, it was natural of me to be slightly disturbed by such a sight. Especially by those that were _acting _in groups or with someone of their own gender.

I felt a nudge on my foot and looked away to see one of Dionysus' many panthers looking up at me with bright yellow eyes. When I had gotten here, I was terrified by the vast amount of wildcats, feeling fearful that they would act upon their carnivorous instincts and would want to devour me. But Dionysus had assured me that all the wildcats that roamed this camp were tamed and that they would not hurt anyone unless it was on his command. That helped to ease me slightly, though I was still feeling a bit anxious from being close to so many.

Carefully, I bent forward so that my fingers could touch the panther's head. With gentleness, I scratched and rubbed its fur, hearing it growl in satisfaction. Dionysus had told me that most of his wildcats loved to be rubbed on their heads, and would love anyone who did such a gesture.

But all of a sudden, I felt a hand being wrapped around my elbow. I looked away from the panther and straightened up to see Dionysus, who was seated in his throne, a chalice of dark red wine in his other hand.

Of course it was obvious that the very King of the Revelry should indulge himself in wine that was considered his marvelous and sacred object. But it surprised me to see that he had yet to lose control of himself. He was just sitting on his throne and leisurely drinking wine, all while watching his revelry with amusement.

I studied his face, and noticed how flushed and incoherent he looked. His hazel eyes were dazed, his cheeks were flushed a faint red, and he had a drunken smile on his lips. He looked exactly how I was feeling right now; mind foggy and clouded with the drunkenness that only wine could provide.

"Dance, Ariadne," he mumbled with a smile as he made to stand from his throne. "Dance with me."

He started to pull me towards the dancing grounds, but I held back. "Dion, I don't know if I can," I muttered slowly, my mind and voice heavy with intoxication that it was a challenge to form proper words. "I feel too dizzy. I think I might faint."

Dionysus let out a bellowing laughter that seemed to come from deep within his chest. It sounded hearty and cheerful. "Nonsense, Ariadne!" he exclaimed in excitement, eyes now wide with eagerness. "Wine only helps to make dancing better!"

It was then he pulled me to the dancing grounds, leaving me with enough time to place my chalice on the armrest of the throne so that none of the precious delicious wine would spill. Dionysus pushed through the crowd of delirious nymphs and satyrs, who were dancing, screaming, laughing, drinking and mating. I could not shield my eyes away from the exposure, but I took a deep breath and told myself to think nothing of it.

I would not deny the fact that I felt slightly fearful of the nymphs and satyrs. Every single one of them was feral and wild, with no proper sense of right or wrong because of their wine-fogged minds. I still felt afraid at the sight of the satyrs here, my mind flashing back the dreadful thoughts of the horrible night before. But so far, none had attempted to make a move on me, and I could only conclude that it was because I was with their leader. If that was the case, then I was immensely glad.

But I knew that, for joining as a part of the Dionysian cults, I had to get used to all these. I know very well that it was difficult, but I willed myself to learn.

_You have joined this cult upon your own will, Ariadne… You must learn to accept all that it offers… _I told myself mentally.

When we must be standing right in the middle of the dancing grounds, the crowd around us moved to give us an ample amount of space. Dionysus smiled appreciatively at this, before taking both my hands in his gently. It was then he started to initiate a dance, and his eyes beckoned me to follow suit.

When I was younger, dancing for me needed to have poise, elegance and concentration; as was expected in a dance by a royal woman. I would usually spend some of my free time just dancing to my heart's content, without having any boundaries on my movements. But now that I was no longer part of a palace but now part of a revelry, I could feel myself slowly going back to the free dancing. I mirrored Dionysus' movement, acting in unison with him so that our dancing matched our partnership.

Just then, Dionysus started to let go of my hands, and I found myself continuing to move in tune. I realized then that he was right; wine did make the dancing better. The ecstasy of the drink was slowly taking over my entire being, providing me with a sudden boost of energy and an intense need for rigorous movement.

All of a sudden, it was as if my body was starting to act on its own. My feet made me twirl in messy circles around Dionysus and my hands started to clap in tune to the rhythm of the music. I heard chortling bubbles of laughter escape through my lips, and I could feel blood rushing into and pounding in my head furiously. My vision began to blur and all I could focus on was Dionysus, who was dancing just as wildly as me.

Our movements complimented each other, I noticed through my heavily clouded mind. We danced in twirls and spins around each other, our bodies swaying and our hair sashaying. At one point, I had unconsciously grabbed hold of his hands, and we danced in unison. We spun each other around and around, not caring whether or not we got dizzy. I was already feeling dizzy from the potency of the wine, but it was a pleasant kind of dizzy; the type that made people feel so relaxed and think of the happiness.

I find that I like the feeling, and I did not want it to end.

* * *

Dionysus

Ariadne had adapted quickly; quicker than I would have given her credit for.

By the time midnight approached, she was chugging down chalices after chalices of tart grape wine and sweet honeyed mead, clearly enjoying the divine taste of the drinks on her tongue. Her pale blonde hair, which had been in a braid, was now let loose out of its constraints, falling down her back in loose and messy tresses that gave her a look that suited her better because it made her look more carefree and full of happiness. Throughout the night, her lips were always set in a pretty and happy smile that graced her beauty.

Very soon, she was venturing among the crowds by herself, basking in wine and ecstasy like the rest of my followers. She shared the enjoyment with them, dancing and laughing and singing to her heart's content. Ariadne did not shed off her clothes nor did she participate in any mating, but she was high from ecstasy all the same. She had given in to the powers of wine, allowing herself to let go of control over her body and be wild and free.

However, at one point of time, a satyr had attempted to partake in a dance with her, like many others who wished to do the same. From where I was dancing with a group of Maenads, I could see fear being shown through her eyes, although she seemed to be stuck in her state of ecstasy to even start feeling fear. But I could not give any chances, promptly leaving the Maenads and making my way towards Ariadne.

I managed to pull her away into another dance and she seemed thankful that I did. Her enjoyment returned full force, and she took my hands and led me in another uncoordinated and messy dance. I allowed her control, actually having fun and enjoying myself as I enjoyed this moment with her. I even grasped her waist and easily lifted her in the air, twirling her around. She did not protest; instead, she had grabbed my shoulders for leverage and even giggled in joy.

As the revelry went on, I begun to realize that I had the most fun in this moment than I have ever did. Now, I always did enjoy my revelries; never once have I gotten bored with them, nor will I ever. But for some reason, enjoying it with Ariadne seemed to make things better. It was as though she had brought a new excitement here. I would think of her as being a new type of wine among the revelry; sought after and greatly wanted by all to enjoy. She definitely brought a new form of fire to the heat of things.

But of course, fire will always die out in the end. By the wee hours of the morning, I had found Ariadne sleeping at the foot of my throne, using my favorite female panther as a pillow. The panther did not seem to mind, instead looking as though it liked Ariadne's presence. She even placed its tail around the sleeping girl in a protective manner, and also looked at everyone who ventured close to her in warning.

The panther only allowed me to come close, and I knelt down beside Ariadne as I gazed at her. Her blonde hair was still wild and untamed, framing her beautiful and peaceful sleeping face. She was breathing soundly, indicating that she had already gone too deep into slumber to be awoken. Judging from the ecstatic dancing and drinking she had done, she must have worn herself out completely by now.

Although I still felt a little dizzy and my mind was still quite foggy, I managed to muster enough focus to bring Ariadne into my arms and carry her somewhere better to sleep. I knew just the right place; my own tent. I would want nothing but the best for Ariadne now that she was staying, so I would give her my own tent to sleep in.

After going through the drapes that acted as the door, I knelt down and laid Ariadne atop my sleeping mat that was cushioned with soft animal furs. The noises of the revelry could still be heard, but it was soft enough so that Ariadne would not be awakened by it. I ensured that her head was comfortable against the mounds of silk pillows before draping a silk blanket on top of her, so that she would not get cold.

Now that I had put her to bed, I sat back and continued to gaze at her. As I took in the image of her beautiful face that was calm and peaceful with sleep, I wondered to myself about the strange effect that she had upon me. How did it happen? What was she changing inside of me? Why was it that, now that I was with her, I felt so strange, so new, and so very… happy?

"What, indeed…" I murmured to myself as I carefully reached to gently tuck a stray lock of Ariadne's hair behind her ear. But when I allowed my fingers to trail down her velvet-soft cheek, I added with a smile, "But whatever it is, I'm glad that it's you…"

Having no more words to say, I stood up and left the tent to return to the celebration, leaving Ariadne to sleep at peace.

* * *

Ariadne

When I woke up, I found myself in a tent, lying atop a soft sleeping mat that was adorned with comfy animal furs and silk pillows.

The first thing I realized was that I had passed out the night before, because I could not remember anything after sitting down at the foot of the throne. Someone must have carried me inside here, and I could only assume that it was none other than Dionysus.

The second thing I realized was that I had a splitting headache that was absolutely horrible. Blood pounded into my head furiously and it irked me so. I brought my fingers to my temples and massaged the area gently, trying hard to soothe away some of the wretched pounding and also calm the blood flow.

The third thing I realized was that someone had come into the tent, and Dionysus was then kneeling down at the foot of the sleeping mat, looking at me with his cheerful dark hazel eyes and a bright smile on his perfect lips.

"Good morning, Ariadne," he greeted politely.

Smiling back to him, I greeted back, "Good morning, Dion…"

"How do you feel?" he asked curiously, his eyes never leaving mine.

Other than that wretched headache, I felt quite alright. More than alright, to be honest. I felt very relaxed and rejuvenated; as though I was finally refreshed from something. I have not felt like that in such a very long time, but I was glad that I once again was.

"I feel good," I told him, being very truthful with my answer. "I feel really good."

* * *

Author's Note:

Yay-yay! Got an update this Friday! :D

First of all, my exams are quite alright, so far. Thank you for the well-wishes, guys! Really appreciated it! Now I can't wait for the exams to finish next Wednesday!

Second of all, it looks to me that Ariadne had accepted the ways of the revelry, and she has become quite adept to it! Yay! It's a good thing Dionysus was there for her, or else she would not be where she was now!

I wonder what will on the next chapter?

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	17. PART 1: Chapter 16

_**Part 1: Chapter 16**_

Dionysus

As a few weeks passed on, Ariadne had already become one with the revelry. She basked in wine and its ecstasy without hesitance, danced wildly with no constraints and control over her movements, and started living so freely. But she still managed to have some self-control to not slip into madness when under intoxication, and also to not take part in any mating that went around. I guess that it must be her strong willpower that was holding her back from doing things that I knew she did not want to do.

Ariadne too has been opening up even more. Now, she does not hesitate to hug me, hold my hand, and laugh and joke around with me. She had even been comfortable with my presence in her sleeping quarters, talking to me through the night until sleep took over her, when I would then put her to bed and bid her goodnight before leaving to my own sleeping quarters.

But as the days went on, my followers started to become bored of Naxos. They already knew the area so well, and they were starting to get used to it. They did not like the feeling, as they preferred to be in a place where they did not know, so that they may seek the thrill of mystery and adventure. They wanted somewhere new; somewhere exotic and good for reveling.

So, after taking their words and complains into consideration, I've declared that it was time to make a move to find a new feasting ground on another land.

While my people rejoiced in the news and started to become excited at the thought of travelling to new land, my main concern about my decision, however, was Ariadne. I did not know how she would react to us moving to a new land. Worse, I was worried that she may use this opportunity to ask for release, and I hoped to hope that it would not be so. I still could not bear the thought of being apart from her, regardless of whether or not I would agree to let her go.

But when I talked about it with her in private, while we were taking a walk on the beach, she told me that she did not mind. She even added that she looked forward to travelling with me and my cult, stating that she too wished to see new lands. When I had asked her if she was certain that she would not mind, because I did not want her to regret it or such, she told me with a gentle smile, "Dionysus, I am bound to you. Wherever you go, I will follow. And I am sure that wherever that is would be amazing, especially with you around."

When she had told me those words, a great burden had been lifted from my heart. I was glad that she had said so, thus relieving me of my qualms.

Reassured, we left Naxos very soon afterwards. We had set off on one of my special ships that would enable me and my followers to be invisible to the sights of other ships so as to not attract any unwanted attentions, and also protect us from the emotional sea of my Uncle, the Sea God-King Poseidon.

When we left, I had noticed Ariadne standing at the back of the ship, gazing at the island that was slowly disappearing from our sight. Even silent, I had a feeling that I knew what she was thinking about. All those memories of that island, ranging from bad to good – or so I hoped – would be fresh on her mind. When I had appeared by her side, she turned to look at me and smiled. In her light grey eyes that held flecks of mossy green, I could see many thoughts running through them.

A few days at sea finally led us to a new island, which I came to know as Lemnos.

I realized then that this was the island of my half-brother Hephaestus, and, after the ship had been docked and my followers and I found a good secluded clearing in the forest to use as our new feasting ground, I left to see him. I found his forge in a cave deep inside a sleeping volcano that was deep in the middle of the forest. I greeted him kindly and gifted him a pithos of wine. Telling him of my purpose on his island, he told me that I was welcomed to stay for as long as I wanted

After the camp had been set and night had fallen, my cult went into the same routine once again, intertwined with the gladness of being somewhere new and different. But now, whenever I danced with Ariadne, I begun to come onto the realization that my feelings for her had changed entirely.

And by change, I knew that it was for the better.

* * *

Ariadne

"Ariadne, Ariadne. What seems to be on your mind as you look pretty among the patch of flowers, Ariadne?" I heard Dionysus' voice mused in a sing-song tone.

I looked up from the leopard cub on my lap to him as he was approaching me with a big smile on his face. Until now, I still could not help but be amazed by how extremely gorgeous he looked. With his smoldering dark hazel eyes and his chiseled face that was framed by his dark hair that fell wild and unruly to his shoulders, he was the very personification of handsome. Throughout my time with in the cult, I had the opportunity to see him bare-chested a few times, and I cherished each time that I did. But I was careful to not make my attraction to obvious, for fear of embarrassment.

Dionysus sat down in front of me, taking the leopard cub from my lap and into his arms. I watched him caress the head of the baby wildcat as I replied, "Nothing, Dionysus. Just thinking."

He looked at me with a curious glint and a raised eyebrow. "About?"

I felt myself begin to blush as I recalled my thoughts. I did not want to tell him because my thoughts had been about him. I was just thinking of him, that was all. Thinking about his smile, his laugh, his kindness and his friendliness. All those moments where he had made me smile and laugh and oh so very happy, I had remembered fondly. I had also – shamelessly – thought of how handsome he looked and how I was now very attracted to him, both for his looks and for his personality.

But despite my ever-growing feelings for him, I forced myself to hold back. I was doing so out of two fears.

First was because I was afraid that I might be going back into trouble; that everything was going to be like it had been with Theseus. I did not want to go back to feeling all the hurt, pain and sadness that I had been forced to experience. I did not want to suffer painfully and reach new lows all over again. I would not risk anything if it meant going back to those horrible experiences.

Second, most importantly, was because I was afraid that this could bring negative consequences if Dionysus knew. I know myself how lowly of a being I was compared to him; how insignificant I could have been seen in his eyes or those like him. He was a god, and I was very sure that he had many beautiful women before me. This thought had made me cringe, but I had to face the facts that there had been women in his life before me; some that could have easily beat me in gaining his affections.

Besides, who was I to think that I would be able to gain Dionysus' love? Such a thought was utterly laughable, even in my opinion. But despite feeling pained that I may never have a chance with him, I had to accept the facts.

"About nothing in particular," I told him in a steady, lying voice.

Dionysus' frowned slightly, and I was slightly afraid that he may have seen through my lie and knew what was really going on. But whether or not he knew, he did not say. Instead, he just continued to play with the baby leopard in his arms, cradling it like an actual baby and tickling its belly heartily. He chuckled when the leopard started to playfully lick and bite his fingers, and the sight was so adorable that I couldn't help but laugh too.

"You have grown very fond of this particular little one, I've noticed," Dionysus suddenly said as the cub returned to cuddle on my lap.

Truthfully, I have grown fond of many of the wildcats that Dionysus owned, especially the baby ones. I have let go of my fear for the beasts after seeing how tame they were, and have allowed myself to be friendly with some of them. They seemed to reciprocate my affections for them, to the point where some would even come up to me for a cuddle.

"As how I have grown very fond of you, Dion," I replied heartily, getting a chuckle from him in return.

"Why, thank you, Ariadne. And I am glad that I can say that it is likewise; I too have grown very fond of you."

Dionysus then looked up at the sky, and I noticed then that evening was about to approach. The sky had turned a bright dark orange as the sun started to set in the west. Far across the sky, the foggy cloak of dark night was coming, bringing with it the faint image of an appearing moon slowly came to my sight. I smiled at the sight of the moon, suddenly thinking of Artemis at that moment. Throughout the past weeks – maybe close to a month now – that had come and gone, the goddess still visited me at random. Each time, she appeared with a presence of moonlit grace that accentuated her beauty and mysticism, and her heart was ever kind and caring to ask me of how I had been.

I heard Dionysus standing up, and I turned my head to see that he had given me his hand to take as he looked at me with his handsome face. I returned the smile and took his hand, allowing him to pull me to a stand gently.

Even before he had told me, I knew that this meant that it was time to prepare for the nightly festivities. I had noticed that the Bacchic followers and Dionysus himself loved to have their revelries in the night, when the moon was shining pure silver and the shining and glittering stars decorated the back drop of blackish-blue with beauty. I guess that I could not disagree with them, for I found that I too enjoyed dancing and drinking and having fun in the darkness of the night, when the night was cooling and the beauties that only the night could provide would be out.

"We should go now, I assume," I said to him knowingly, carefully cradling the baby leopard in my free arm while he held onto my other hand.

As he led me out of the field we were in, Dionysus flashed me a pearly white smile and he nodded. "Indeed," he said enthusiastically.

* * *

Dionysus

The ecstatic potency of wine had clearly fogged our entire mind-set, and we danced in tune to the free and wild beating of the dreams, and the shrill screams, shrieks, and laughter of the others. The moon shone bright upon us, so only a few fires had been lit around the premises. But nonetheless, we reveled mostly in the moonlight that was luminous, glowing and enchanting.

Once again, I danced with Ariadne, as I had always done every night. She and I shared chalices of sweet wine and mead, and we basked in each other's company throughout since nightfall, conversing, laughing and playfully teasing each other. In the moonlight, her smile shone pure, her grey-green eyes glowed with happiness, and her beautiful aura made our time together the best.

As we moved around each other in harmony and rhythm, doing spins and twirls and small jumps, I felt my heart beat wildly in my chest; to the point where I could feel the tremors radiating to all parts of my body. Partially, it was due to the tremors caused by the furious pounding of my ichor to my head and the furious pounding of the drums. But mostly it was because of Ariadne.

Ariadne took hold of my hand and spun herself to me, so that her back was pressed up against my chest. I held her in my arms for a short few seconds, allowing my eyes to admire the beautiful smile on her lips and the energy in her eyes, before I spun her away from me. Her loose long skirt sashayed around her slim legs, as did her wild untamed blonde hair around her pretty face. Her hand were raised high above her head as she looked up heavenwards at the shining moon, smiling with so much beauty that it made my heart swell with joy.

Until now, I am still so very much enamored by her looks and character. Ariadne with the beautiful pale looks and strong and entertaining personality was definitely someone who I would want to be around with a lot. Ever since that first night, I kept on thanking the Fates for having me found her and take her under my care. I realized now that indeed it was not a decision that I regret making. And though things had happened in ways that I wished it had not, I was somewhat glad that it did, or else now would not have been possible.

One other thing that I truly adored about her was her willingness to trust me and the fact that she was trustworthy. At this point of time, she and I shared our most intimate secrets with each other. I had told her things that I have always kept hidden away from everyone. I told her of my difficult beginnings as a god and an Olympian, of the troubles I had encountered with those who do not wish to acknowledge my existence, and, most importantly, of my yearn to meet the mother I have never known I had.

I told her these things which I kept to myself because I knew that she was someone I could trust. Someone who I could tell my most deepest secrets and unknown fears, and she would give me the strength to face its difficulties.

Truly, I was blessed to have someone like her.

Just then, Ariadne smiled warmly to me, and I could not help but smile back.

* * *

Ariadne

Dionysus was such a lovely person to dance with. Throughout my years of dancing with various partners during palace festivities, none could compare to him. He was wild and silly, but yet still maintained grace and elegance in his movements.

Until now, I have not stopped being amazed that I was able to meet someone like him. It was not the fact that he was a god that was important, but it was the fact that he was the best person I have ever met in my entire life. He was kind, caring, friendly, funny and beautiful. I do not think anyone could be capable of having such a personality except him. He was perfection entirely; even his flaws were perfect.

Throughout my time with him, I was glad to know that he was truly someone I could trust. My fear that he would take advantage of me and abandon me dilapidated when I witnessed first-hand how he was so willing to take of me with so much devotion. Never have I thought I would have seen such a thing in a god, especially an Olympian such as him.

Dionysus was someone I could trust and someone I could be myself with. With him, I do not feel the weight of the world on my shoulders. No burdens inflicted my heart and mind. Nothing stressed me, for his presence in my life liberated the stress. With him around, there seemed to be no such thing as 'trouble'. Only freedom and happiness came with him.

Holding his masculine hands in mine as we spun together, I held my eyes on him. His dark hazel eyes were bright and cheerful, shining with so much life and enjoyment that it made my heart race.

Dionysus smiled beautifully to me, and it sent my blood rushing, my head pumping, and my heart beating.

Goodness, what on Earth has caused me to feel such things for him?

* * *

Eros

It's been a month now since I had first seen them together.

I have watched it grow from a confused friendship to mutual attraction. In the past month, their feelings for each other had grown greatly; to the point where I knew I must finally act.

Crouching on a branch of a tree nearby the on-going wild revelry, I cautiously studied the young Olympian Dionysus and the woman of his attractions, the mortal Ariadne, dance with each other in clear joy and harmony. Both their eyes shone bright as they gazed at each other's faces in longing, and the smiles on their lips that were there only for each other. But even though each other's affections for the other were clear in their facades, they still held it back inside, not telling the other the truth.

It's about time I did something about it. This has already reached its peak, and it was time for it to take the turning point.

Carefully, I drew the first ivory arrow from the quiver that hung at the side of my waist. I set it to my trusty ivory bow that was gripped tightly in my hands. Setting the arrow properly to the bow, I gripped its nock with the bowstring in between my thumb and fingers, pulling it back at the strong and durable string had reached its maximum in stretching.

With one eye shut and the other eye carefully taking target, I properly aimed the arrow at Dionysus, who was thankfully staying in one spot now as he danced on his feet. I had a clear target on his heart, and I had only one chance.

Without hesitation, I released my hold on the bowstring, sending the arrow flying at high speed in the air towards Dionysus.

I watched as the arrow – luckily – hit the target, disappearing into his body where his heart lay. And then, I watched the transformation that overcame Dionysus was the arrow of love had been absorbed into him. He froze and just stared at Ariadne with so much awe and amazement in his widened eyes. I could see the love he had for her in his heart finally taking over him.

Immediately, I reached for another arrow from my quiver and repeated the same processes to my bow. I then took aim at Ariadne, who stayed in the same spot, but she proved slightly more difficult because she was constantly twirling around in dance. I took several deep breaths as I kept my target on her, hoping that the chance would come shortly.

Luckily, it did when she had noticed Dionysus being completely still and gazing at her with the clearly seen expression of love on his façade. As she approached him, I saw my chance and released my hold on the bowstring, sending the arrow flying directly into her back.

The arrow was absorbed into her body, and I could see change overcoming her as well. She suddenly froze right on the spot and something in her seemed to set into realization. Very soon, the love for Dionysus that was hidden in her heart finally came into view on her features.

I watched as my two latest 'clients' finally realized their love for each other, and I could not help but smile. "Another job well done, Eros," I whispered to myself in congratulations.

Letting the powers of my mother take over now to complete the rest of the job, I spread my wings and took flight, making my way back to Mount Olympus.

The minute I took off, I knew the change was finally taking place.

* * *

Author's Note:

Well, well, well! This makes the first time another character has a POV! But please do not expect more Eros. He was only here to do his work. I'm sorry to say that this may be the only chapter he would appear in...

But! It has come to my attention that Part 1 of the story will come to a close soon, and Part 2 would start in a couple of weeks! In Part 2, more drama would definitely ensue. There even might be other characters who would have their POVs included. This would include some characters who had already appeared in Part 1. Hmm... Who could it be?

Anyway! A change will finally come upon our favorite couple!

Tune in next chapter on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	18. PART 1: Chapter 17

_**Part 1: Chapter 17**_

Dionysus

I did not know what had happened, but things started to change all of a sudden.

Now, my vision started to change. Everything in the background – the sights of dancing, drinking and mating – still remained a foggy haze, but in the foreground, which only had Ariadne in sight, everything was as clear as day. When I look at her, it was so very clear. So very crystal clear. It was as though I had not had more than one chalice of wine to drink.

Everything about her was so colorful, vibrant and perfect; greatly contrasting from the darkness of the surroundings. I let my eyes take in the image of her long, wild, waist-length pale blonde hair that framed her beautiful and flawless face that held a pair of mesmerizing grey eyes with mossy green flecks, a cute dainty nose, and perfect rose petal lips.

Her beauty shone so much that I felt that it could beat Aphrodite's. Her beauty radiated even brighter than the golden sun in the day and the silver moon in the night. Her beauty was the only light that I could see in my eyes. It was a beacon of bright light out of the darkness that surrounded us completely.

My heart started pounding furiously. My breathing turned shallow. My head felt light; not due to the wine, but because of Ariadne.

Unconsciously, I walked closer to her, wanting so much to be near her. At the same time, she walked closer to me.

* * *

Ariadne

Everything started to change so suddenly.

All of a sudden, all I could see and think of was Dionysus in front of me. It was as though everything else just blurred into nothingness, and only he was all I could focus on. He was the only thing clear to me in my wine-hazed mind. He outshone everything else like the stars in the night sky, or a beautiful diamond centerpiece among a cluster of small jewels that were encrusted into a crown.

Ever since, I have always known the full depths of his beauty. But only at this moment could I see how truly perfect he was. The way his wild dark chestnut brown hair fell to his shoulders around his masculine and flawless face that held his enchanting dark hazel brown eyes, his perfect nose, his high cheekbones and his attractive masculine lips; all that attracted me to him like a bumblebee to a beautiful and sweet-smelling flower.

His perfection was like a dream; or something that was made out of the most beautiful of dreams. Such a sight made me want to weep from its utmost beauty, but I find that I could not weep, for I could only feel a growing affection for him from deep inside my heart.

And it was that affection that made me come close to him, just as he came close to me.

* * *

Dionysus

Both our hands reached out for each other at the same time, and our skins touched in few seconds flat. I let my fingers roam up hers, feeling the soft silkiness of her fingertips, her fingers, and her palms. But my fingers do not stop there.

They continued to trail up her forearms to her elbows, where they finally left her arms to take hold of her feminine waist. They held her gently, but with a desire to not want to let go.

My hands pulled her closer to me. Ariadne put up no resistance, and she came willingly.

* * *

Ariadne

As he pulled me closer to him, my own hands traveled up to grasp his firm shoulders. I could not tear my eyes away from his, which were locked solely on mine. His eyes seemed to have put me into a trance. I felt that it was avoiding me from turning away from him.

Not that I did not want to turn away from him in the first place.

When my fingers gripped his shoulders to give me leverage, I leaned in closer to him, just as he did to me.

* * *

Finally, at that precise moment, all barriers were broken down, and the flood of emotions and passions were finally let loose. Emotions ran high; even higher than the ecstasy that wine could provide. Everything around them was forgotten, for all they could think of was each other and their growing feelings.

At that very moment, Dionysus and Ariadne were in each other's embrace as their lips touched for the very first time.

It was then they knew that, at that exact moment, they have fallen in love with each other.

* * *

Dionysus

The feel of her lips on mine was utter bliss.

Her lips were so very soft, like the clouds in the sky, and so very sweet, even sweeter than the most sweetest of wines. As they molded gently and tenderly onto mine, I felt an awe-stricken gasp escaped from me, having cannot comprehend that I was truly kissing this beautiful creature in my arms.

Ariadne was just as willing in this first kiss between us as I was. Her hands, which had been on my shoulders to pull me closer to him, were now wrapped around my neck in a passionate hold. Her fingers intertwined with my hair, gently grabbing handfuls of my dark tresses. My own arms circled around her waist to pull her closer, where she stood flush against my front.

The sensation of holding and kissing her – touching and tasting her – sent my nerves on an end. All feelings of drunkenness and high ecstasy suddenly disappeared at her touch, and new feelings – better feelings – started to overcome me.

It was then I realized that I needed and wanted her, oh so very badly.

* * *

Ariadne

I cannot believe it.

I was kissing Dionysus.

I was _kissing _Dionysus.

The sensation of kissing him – a _god _– truly was something I have never felt before. It was so very unreal and unworldly, but in a good way. Kissing him made me feel as though I had gone to one of the Isles of the Blessed in the Elysian Fields, where I am contented to spend an eternity of afterlife in peacefulness and bliss.

Dionysus was gentle in this lovely exchange, holding me tenderly in his arms while he shaped his lips upon mine. He was neither forceful nor harsh; I could feel his lips being soft and careful against mine, as though he was only helping me to get used to feel, but also making sure that I enjoyed it.

And yes, I did enjoy it.

I enjoyed it _immensely_.

Through my mind that was now drunk not with wine but of Dionysus, I suddenly felt myself being carried in his arms. I realized then that my legs had now wrapped themselves around his waist, giving me leverage as he held me. We did not break out of the kiss, instead getting more into it as we both continued to beg even more for the taste of each other's lips.

I could feel him starting to walk through the maddening crowd and out of the dancing grounds. I had not realized that he had actually taken us into his sleeping tent until he pulled me off him and laid me down gently on his pillowed sleeping mats.

I gasped when I realized where we were, and what he was about to do. My mind was suddenly flashing images from a similar situation but from a time of pain and lies…

But I was suddenly torn out of the horrible memory when Dionysus kissed me once again. His lips were, again, soft and gentle on mine, tasted as sweet as ripe honey and grapes. I complied immediately and eagerly returned the kiss, wrapping my arms around his neck once again to pull him closer to me.

However, Dionysus suddenly pulled away, and I mewled in protest. I was about to pull him back to me, or maybe pull myself to him, but I was stopped short by his dark eyes that were looking directly at mine. His eyes were so full of love that I could feel my heart melting.

One of his hands came to my face, and he ran his fingers down my cheek. With a voice that sounded like beautiful music, he whispered with a soft and loving smile, "Ariadne, I truly believe that I love you."

When those last three words were spoken by him, I immediately thought that I had indeed died and gone to one of the Isles of the Blessed in the Elysian Fields. Those three honestly blissful words spoken through his beautiful voice were coated in sweetness and made out of the most beautiful and ethereal music. Everything about him seemed to be more enchanting now, and I could not help but gaze at him in amazement.

"I… I love you too, Dionysus…" I managed to answer in a gasp. Despite the shakiness of my voice, I was very certain that my words rang true.

It _was_ true; I _did_ love him.

I could feel him shudder at my words, and his lips descended upon mine once again, kissing me with so much love and passion that it made my heart race tenfold. My fingers once again sought purchase of his hair, gripping him to me.

Dionysus suddenly trailed down to kiss my chin, and then my neck, where he spent a long time nipping and tasting my flesh. I could hear him groan as I ran my fingers through his unruly dark hair, feeling the silky tresses against my skin.

At that moment, I realized that I wanted and _needed _him badly.

My fingers went from his hair to the hem of his tunic, where they traveled underneath to feel bare skin that felt both hard of toned muscle and soft of velvet skin. I trailed my fingers up and down his spine lightly, memorizing the contours, hitching his tunic up and up his back as a result. The more his tunic rose, the more of his back I could feel, and the more of his chest I could see.

Just then, I could feel one strap of my dress being pushed down slowly by a pair of soft lips that were kissing the point where my arm connected to my shoulder. As he kissed my skin insistently, Dionysus whispered, "Ariadne… I truly… desperately… wish to give myself… to you… Will you have me?... And will I have you?..."

His words suddenly sent me into a plunge of deep thoughts, and I found myself trying to contemplate a decision.

It was for certain that I did love him, and I did want him. But would it be too soon to give myself to him? I was suddenly reminded of the mistake with Theseus, and I so desperately did not want to make that same stupid mistake. I did not want to foolishly give myself without thinking of the consequences, only to have myself broken and left in anguish. Thoughts of being abandoned and forgotten suddenly plagued my heart, and I wanted to cry at the thought that I might have to suffer through those moments once again.

But suddenly, I was pulled out of my troublesome thoughts when Dionysus cupped my cheek with his masculine hand. I was suddenly aware of the fact that his face – his oh so beautiful face – was hovering above mine, his eyes gazing at me softly. As his thumb caressed my cheek, he said to me in a gentle murmur, "Sweet Ariadne… Lovely Ariadne… Beautiful Ariadne…I know that you are afraid… And it is okay… But I swear… upon my own life… that I will _never _do such a thing to you… I will _never _leave you… I will _never _abandon you… And I will _never _hurt you… I promise, and I swear…"

His words were so soothing and touching that I felt my eyes starting to turn wet with a new flow of tears, with some starting to streak down my face. Dionysus leaned in to kiss away the tears, before planting another soft kiss to my lips. I returned the gesture, kissing him back slowly, feeling his lips and mine being connected by this blissful touch.

And it was then I realized that his words rang true, and I knew that I could trust him. I knew that I could be with him, and he would be with me. I know that he would not hurt me, for he was the one who protected and cared for me when I was in a time of need and trouble. I truly believed that he would never abandon me, and that I could feel safe with him.

"I love you, Dionysus…" I told him in a voice that was barely a whisper. I had poured my entire heart on those words, to show him that I meant what I had said.

A smiled graced his lips, and Dionysus answered, "I love you, Ariadne…"

With all hesitation and qualms gone, we finally give in to each other on this beautiful night.

* * *

Dionysus

When I awoke, I saw that the inside of the tent was bright from the sunlight that shone outside. I sighed peacefully as I slowly roused from sleep, before I trailed my line of sight down to the figure sleeping soundly atop me.

With her head nestled in the crook of my neck and my arms wrapped gently around her frame, Ariadne was sprawled delicately on her front on mine. Her hands were lightly gripping my shoulders, as though to hold herself to me in her slumber. Her lips were pressed against the curve of my neck, with her warm breath fanning my skin. Her pale blonde hair was a wild fluffiness around her head, and I chuckled at the sudden thought of how it looked like the new downy fluff of a baby chick. As we both lay underneath the sheets, I could feel the warmth of her bare body radiating onto mine, and I sighed in pleasure at the blissful feel of her bare skin on my bare skin.

The thought of last night suddenly appeared in my head, and I felt a smile forming on my lips as I remembered how we had professed and acted out of our love for each other. The coupling had been one of utter bliss, with both of us being willing and so very immersed in our new passion. Throughout my long years, never before have I felt something like that, and I was glad that I finally did, with Ariadne.

Ah, Ariadne. Sweet, sweet Ariadne. How she has graced my life with her bright and lovely presence. How she has given my life more value by giving me her love. How she had stolen my heart and embraced it with her warmth.

I bowed my head down to plant a kiss to the top of her head of messy and fluffy blonde hair. But just as the sudden contact, I heard a soft sigh escaping past her lips.

I knew then that she was waking up, and continued to pepper the top of her head with more kisses.

"Wake up, lovely," I said to her in a murmur.

As if on command, Ariadne slowly lifted her head up from my chest, and I was starting to miss the feel of its weight on me. But I smiled when I saw her eyes through the curtain of her messy blonde hair that was covering the front of her beautiful face.

"Dion…" I heard her whisper with a smile on her pretty lips.

My hand moved to brush away her hair and tuck it gently behind her ear, so that I may have a clearer look on her face. Her cheeks had a rosy blush painted on them, a remnant of last night on her body.

Ariadne laid back down to rest on me, and I gladly welcomed her delicious weight with a tightening of my arms around her waist. Her fingers started slowly tracing patterns on my bicep, while my own fingers trailed all over her smooth back, relishing the feel of her soft and flawless skin.

"You stayed," I heard her say softly, her voice speculative and full of relief and gladness.

I stopped tracing her back and looked down from the ceiling of my tent at her. I knew entirely what she had meant by her statement. "Of course, I stayed," I told her. "I promised you that I will never leave you, and I want to keep my promise to you."

Silence ensued for a while, but then I heard her ask quietly, "Why? Why would you do that?"

Ah, again with the uncertainty. Not that I blamed her, for I knew that she was feeling some – if not, a lot – uncertainty when she had decided to sleep with me, even though I knew very well that she had done so out of will instead of the intoxication of wine. But I did not want her to feel uncertain with being with me. I wanted to make her feel the opposite. I wanted to have her know that there was nothing wrong with being with me, and that she was rest assured to have a better relationship with me than with that bloody bastard.

This, I swear upon my life to make it known to her.

I trailed one of my hands to cup her chin, tilting it up so that she was looking at me in the eye. Her eyes gazed into mine deeply, sending my heart on a rampage again. I had to take a deep breath to calm my rapidly-beating heart before I spoke.

"Do not assume that I would ever leave you, Ariadne," I said to her with a voice set in determination. "I am not _him_. I will _not_ use you, and I will _not_ abandon you." And then, my voice soothed into one of gentleness and love as I told her, "I want to take care of you and cherish you. I want to hold you in my arms, to make you feel safe and secured. I want you to know that you are truly the most beautiful woman in my eyes, and that anyone else would pale in comparison to the beauty that lies in your form."

Just then, I pushed her from the waist so that she would scoot up my body and have her face mere inches away from mine. She gasped under her breath at the sudden act, and I could her warm breath that was the scent of sweetness wash over my face. I sighed in pleasure, feeling myself getting high.

My mind slowly started getting intoxicated by her presence, but I was able to bring my words to completion.

"I wish to love you, Ariadne. I want to love you with all my heart. I want to share my body and soul with you. I want to make love to you, and bask you in my love. I want to be the one who gives you pleasure and happiness. I want to spend my whole life with you. This, I know, is no lie. And this is not something I am saying under the intoxication of wine. I truly am hopelessly in love with you, since the first day I saw you. Please, Ariadne. Please let me love you."

* * *

Ariadne

As I felt a new wave of tears threatening to take over me, I pressed my lips against his and kissed him with all the love and passion I had for him.

"Thank you…" I said in a shaky whisper in between kisses. "Thank you, Dion… Thank you… Thank you so much…"

My heart swelled with so much blissful emotion. I do not remember a time when I had been as happy as I was right now.

* * *

Author's Note:

Never in the history of my fanfiction author life - counting from the very beginning - have I ever written something as EXTREMELY fluffy as this chapter. NEVERTHELESS! I am proud of it :D

Well, well, well! It's about time Dionysus and Ariadne admit of their feelings for each other, and have even did the _act_! Dionysus is so very truthful, while Ariadne is glad that she may be in love with the right person right now. Things may just get better from here!

Tune in on Monday for the next chapter!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	19. PART 1: Chapter 18

_**Part 1: Chapter 18**_

Ariadne

I thanked him for making me feel so loved than I had in a long time. His love made me feel whole and complete, fully reborn out of the grief and depression that had been harbored deep within my heart. Finally, I felt those burdens starting to diminish away, leaving behind only the smallest and faintest of traits. Now, all I could feel was Dionysus, the person who was ever true to me.

Now, I knew very well that it had been no mistake to give myself to him. He was full of care, kindness, compassion and true love; for that I was sure, for his actions for the past month had proved that. And I could not deny him, for his yearning – I could see it in his eyes – burned as much as mine.

When we both emerged out of his tent shortly after, walking hand-in-hand, we emerged to the camp as a pair of new mates that had been fully bonded and were now content to spend their time with each other. The others had taken notice, judging by their sudden looks of awe and surprise when they witnessed their master holding onto my hand. Dionysus seemed to like seeing how they were starting to take note that I was now his lover, as he said that it made me be important and he wanted me to know how important I was. While I was glad on the topic of important, I could not care less if I was, for I was already content with just being with him.

On that morning, Dionysus took me to a small lake to bathe in. For a short while, I felt anxious around the lake, because the haunted memory of that horrendous night of encounter with the satyr was still clear in my head. Yes, I was already used to the presence of satyrs in the camp, but I still could not beat down the fear that one of them would attack me when I least expect it. Usually, I would bathe by collecting water from the lake and washing myself in the forest, or by bathing with the Maenads that were friendly enough to be with.

But Dionysus must have seen the fear in my eyes, for he soothed my anxiety and fear by telling me that he was here for me. How many times have I heard the words of him not leaving me said through his voice? Too many times already, but I find that I do not mind, for it gave me the secured comfort that indeed he would not leave me. So, without hesitation, I joined him willingly.

Bathing with him was indeed something that I would _really_ like to do now.

After we had bathed, and participated in much more show of affections, we went on like as though it was any normal day. We walked together, talked together, and laughed together. He told me funny stories while I told him silly memories, which we both got a good giggle and chuckle out of. But this time was quite different, for we were now holding each other's hands more often, taking each other in warm embraces much more, and even started to randomly kiss each other – be it on the lips, or the cheeks, or any other part of the face.

I actually liked that it was that sort of way, for it made me know that we were fully accepting our new relationship together, even enjoying it for every single second we were together. It helped us bond even closer, to the point where we felt we were almost inseparable.

I do not think that it was happening too fast, because we had already become companions for a month before finally starting a romantic relationship. Thus, we already had a head-start to fully know each other before giving in to each other.

"One question," I said to him as we sat on an old tree trunk that had long fallen to the ground, with him sitting close right beside me with an arm around me. "Do gods feel love like a human does? Do they feel the sensation of falling into the emotion, and then the sensation of succumbing to it? Or do they not, and just think of love as just a simple emotion that a human possesses?"

Dionysus took some time to think of his answer to my question, drumming his fingers on my arm lightly. It was a while later when he spoke.

"I would say it is more to the latter, though not quite. You see, some gods see love as only a fleeting emotion that would disappear over time, and thus they do not fully bond to it as they do not see the point if it vanishes after a while. Furthermore, having the natural high attitude of a proud peacock, they think that they are too good to just be tied down to one person, when they could have as much as they want. Whereas, some other gods can in fact feel love, although it does not always necessarily mean intimate love. Sometimes, some gods have a mixture of both traits. Take my brother Apollo as an example. He has had many beautiful lovers who would wish to stay as his consort, but he does not stay bonded to any of them for he sees them as only fleeting flings. But he truly loves his twin sister Artemis with all of his heart, and he is very devoted to and protective of her. I would say that if he were to choose between Artemis and a beautiful woman to keep in his life, he is surely to choose Artemis, for he values her over everyone else, save for his own mother."

"Ah, I see," I replied, taking his word into thought. The bit about Apollo really did intrigue me. I have not assumed that the God of the Sun would be so very close to Artemis, considering how different they seemed to be from each other. But I guess that I was wrong to assume such a thing for I did not know him.

"Why do you ask me this sort of question, Ariadne?" he questioned, curiosity clear in his voice. "Is it because you assume that I do not feel the same sort of love that you feel? That I cannot feel love like a mortal does?"

I could hear a slight bit of anger and disheartenment in his voice, and I knew that this was one of his mood swings. Indeed, he has such shifting moods, and I must think fast to alleviate this situation.

"No, Dionysus," I said calmly, keeping my voice firm and unwavering. "I am merely curious. Because you are a god, and I only wish to know how a god would differ from a human in this sort of situations. I do not think what you had just stated."

That might have calmed him down a bit, and I silently sighed in relief. Just then, Dionysus took hold of my chin and turned my head to face him. There was a bright smile and a twinkle in his eyes – another sudden change of mood; just a few seconds ago he sounded angered, now he was as bright as cheerful as he could be – when he said, "Do not forget, Ariadne, that I had been initially born as half a mortal before forming into a full-blooded god in my father's form. I may have still retained some mortal in me. Thus, I may be able to love you just as much as any mortal male."

I smiled at that, and brought a hand to cup his cheek. His other hand rose to place it above mine, holding it close to him. With a smile, I told him, "No, Dionysus. You are capable of much more than that."

I leaned in to kiss his lips, and he reciprocated quickly. Very soon, we were embracing each other fully, with our lips busily shaping themselves against each other. My head started swimming in an ocean of bliss, and all I could focus on was Dionysus and nothing else.

That was, until a startled gasp sounded from nearby us.

We both pulled away at the sudden shock of the gasp, and turned in the direction of where it had come from. We were both immediately surprised when we saw Artemis standing there, looking right back at us with shocked dark blue eyes.

"Artemis!" I exclaimed her name in surprise, and then I started feeling very embarrassed because a virgin goddess had just witnessed me passionately kissing her half-brother.

Artemis did not give any form of welcome, still too overcome with the sight of us. Instead, she cleared her throat loudly and turned her head to the side, averting her eyes from us. "I'm sorry," she said in a hard voice that indicated her discomfort. "I seem to have interrupted something between the both of you."

I could feel my face turning warm from embarrassment at the thought that I had made Artemis uncomfortable. It was one of the things that I never wanted to do to her.

Feeling the tension in the air between us growing thicker and more suffocating, I cleared my throat awkwardly and said shyly, "Umm… This may come to be a surprise for you, but Dionysus and I…"

I could not finish my words, because Dionysus then cut in by saying, "We've bonded, Artemis."

It was only then did Artemis turn to look at us again. But more specifically, she was looking directly at Dionysus solely. Her midnight blue eyes held on to his hazel brown eyes as she said in a firm voice, "I can clearly see that. And I hope you would not mind if you and I had a private discussion."

And then, her eyes darted over to me, as she said, "Alone."

I could feel dread weighing down upon my heart, worried that Artemis would want to voice her displeasure of our new-found relationship. I did not want to anger the goddess, but I do not think that I could refuse Dionysus if that was what she would wish for me to do. I may even risk punishment if I was to defy her, but I do not care about her opinion on my being with him. If I wanted it, then so be it.

I was not the only one to start tensing. Dionysus did too, evidenced in the sudden tightening of his hold on me. I turned to look at him and saw him staring at Artemis with a hard but blank stare. There was no hint of emotion of his face; no signs of happiness or anger. I found that I did not like to see him so expressionless, as it was such a far cry from the ever mood-changing god that he was.

Suddenly, he released his hold on me and just stood up. Artemis then – without a word – started to walk away into the forest, and he followed suit. He did not look at me as he left, nor did he say a word on telling me what to do.

I just stayed by myself on that fallen tree trunk, hoping that things would go well between the two of them.

* * *

Dionysus

When we were at a distance in the forest that was not too near but also not too far from Ariadne, I stopped walking and immediately inquired of Artemis without amusement, "Do you have an issue with me being with Ariadne? Is that why you wish to talk to me alone? Do you wish to voice your disapproval of the fact that she is now my mate?"

Artemis stopped walking a few feet ahead of me and turned to me with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed as she looked at me. In a snort, she replied haughtily, "Do not get too worked up over your own silly assumptions, Dionysus. That was not what I had intended to talk about at all."

Hearing that, I could feel all tension being released from my bones, and I let out a loud sigh of relief. "Thank Mount Olympus for that," I exclaimed. "But what was it that you had intended to talk about, regarding the topic?"

Artemis moved to a nearby tree branch so that she can lean on it as she said, "I can see pure love clearly in both of your eyes. Such a look could only be caused if the both of you had been shot with the attraction arrows of Eros which are fueled by the love powers of Aphrodite. Which, I assume, had happened."

I nodded my head in understanding. "Alright. And?"

Her eyebrows rose speculatively, and she asked in a questioning tone, "But do you _actually _intend to stay bonded to her?"

Her question threw me completely off-guard and I found myself being confused and somewhat insulted.

"What do you mean by that?" I asked her, feeling annoyance rise up in my voice. "Do you think I am not willing to stay with Ariadne?"

"As a matter of fact, I do," Artemis replied instantly in a nonchalant manner.

Now that had completely angered me, and I found myself shouting at her, "How dare you think that I would be that foolish! How dare you assume that! You have no right to assume such nonsense! You do not know!"

Even though I was now practically boiling with rage and annoyance, Artemis simply kept a calm and cool façade and just looked at me with her raised eyebrow. Her arms remained crossed and her eyes remained speculative. She waited for me to calm down for a while before she spoke once again.

"Dionysus, forgive me for saying this, but I know your type of character when it comes to women. You are just like our brothers Apollo, Hermes and Ares, and especially like our father Zeus. You take them as lovers one at a time, and then put them aside once you've set your sights on another once you had implanted your seed in the previous one. Tell me, do you know how many women have you had in your life? And do you know how many children have you had that were borne from these women? What makes you think that you could suddenly and simply settle on just one right now?"

While still in my calming state, I could not help but feel the effects of Artemis' words. I will not deny the fact that whatever she had said was true. I know of my reputation of being a philanderer like my father and half-brothers. It was true I do not know how many women I had been with, or how many illegitimate children I had that was borne of my seed in their wombs. And I know now that to simply settle on just woman would be almost unheard of in my case.

But I also knew that Ariadne was truly the only one I want, and I so very sure about that. I do not care that our love had finally been acknowledged only after being struck by Eros' arrows, because I knew that my feelings for her had bud from the very first time I had met her. It was those seeds of feelings that had caused me to commit the act of making myself known to her, of helping her, of becoming her friend, of saving her from that satyr, and of initiating her into my rituals. I knew very well that having Ariadne in my life was both a want and a need, and it was not something that I would surely regret.

With a deep breath, I calmly told Artemis, "I know very well that I am indeed capable of that, and I know very well that it is only Ariadne for me."

Artemis relaxed out of her position and walked up to me. Her eyes conveyed to me that I must pay full attention to her, and so I did.

In a sigh, she said, "Ariadne had lost everything that she had owned because she had foolishly thought that she loved Theseus. It had taken her time to recover from that trauma and get over her mistake, all with your help. But now that she is clearly willing to love you, I can only hope that you would not allow her to go through the same thing. I know very well that she does not wish to be forgotten and abandoned once again."

With a thoughtful but serious voice, she then told me, "I have come to love Ariadne as a friend, and I do not wish to see her so unhappy again. If she wishes to be with you, then I will respect her decision, and can only wish for her the best. But I can also only hope that it will not bring her any pain and misery."

Just then, Artemis turned around and walked away, making me realize that she was about to leave. Before I could say anything to inquire her of that, she said to me something that had struck my heart.

"Ariadne is indeed someone worth keeping in a life. Especially yours, Dionysus. I can see that her presence in your life has done you good changes. Cherish her in a way that she deserves it, to repay her for her willingness to accept you as her love."

And just like that, without another word, Artemis disappeared into the thick forest. I did not go after her, instead hurriedly making my way back to Ariadne.

I found her still sitting on the fallen branch, simply braiding her hair messily. When she looked up at me, she asked in a questioning voice, "What had happened? Had something…"

I did not let her finish her words, because I hurried to her and pulled her up from the fallen tree trunk. Before she could ask about what was going on, I planted my lips on her and insinuated another kiss.

This kiss was a show to her that I wanted her to be in my life, and I needed her to be mine.

* * *

Ariadne

I did not know what exchange had happened between Dionysus and Artemis, because directly after that, Dionysus had just come back to me and immediately pulled me into a loving, heartfelt and passionate embrace.

That embrace led us to returning to his sleeping tent, where we shed off each other's clothes from our bodies and fell back on his comfy sleeping mats with the mounds of soft silk pillows.

It was on that sleeping mat where we made love numerous times well into the evening, even after the sun had set and the moon had risen. The sounds of the revelry were clearly heard from the inside, but it was dull enough for us to not focus on that but only on the sounds of each other. Like every other night, my mind was completely high and drunk. But on this night, I was not intoxicated by wine, but by Dionysus.

Finally, we finally concluded our act of love when the moon was shining high above in the dark night sky that was now adorned with many glittering stars. Once again, I found myself being cuddled in his arms that were wrapped around me gently in a very protective manner. Our skins were hot and permeated with the scent of sex, and both of us were breathless from our rigorous exertion.

"That… was…. very… intense…" I managed to breathe out through my heaving, before craning my head up so that I may kiss his lips.

Dionysus smiled and kissed me back, his arms starting to tighten even more around me as he held me very closely. He then carefully flipped our bodies over slowly and gently, making me lay down underneath his strong body. I wound my arms around his neck, bringing his face closer to mine, our lips never once parting.

When I trailed my lips from his to his cheek, I asked him in a voice through deep breaths, "Dion... How could I ever repay you?... For giving me your love, and letting me love you in return..."

Dionysus did not answer my question immediately. He was just silent as he hid his face in the pillow beside my head. His deep breathing sounded soft, and I could feel the inhaling and exhaling of air that his body was performing. I relished in that exquisite feel, continuing to hold him to me because I loved the feeling of comfort and warmth I could get from him. His arms remained wounded around my body, holding me tight as well.

As the minutes passed by, his silence continued on, and I began to feel slightly worried. I turned my head to look at him, and I was surprised to see that he had turned his head to the side to face me. I had not noticed that he had done so, but I was not the least bit frightened. The sight of his eyes sent another calming sensation over me.

Just then, he leaned in to kiss me once again, and I welcomed him warmly. But this time, I noticed that this kiss was truly very soft and gentle, with every bit of love in our hearts poured into it. Like all the other kisses we had recently shared, this one sent me into an immediate state of bliss, and I could feel myself sighing in pleasure.

Just in the middle of the kiss, I heard him whisper something in a voice so soft and soothing.

"Marry me."

And that was what made me pull away from him to look at him in a state of shock and disbelief.

"What?!"

Dionysus was not so affected by my outburst. Instead, he simply smiled and moved to ease his weight off me so that he could sit up right beside me. I sat up as well as I maintained my eyes on his, not fully caring that I was stark naked from the waist up, since he had clearly seen everything that was my body.

With a cheeky grin and a pair of dazed eyes, he told me, "You heard me, Ariadne. Marry me."

My shock and disbelief still did not wane over the next few seconds, and I found myself even more confused.

"Are you being serious, Dion?" I questioned in a near-shriek. When he nodded his head immediately, I exclaimed, "But. But. But I had just only kissed you for the first time last night, and bedded as well! Surely you do not wish to tie yourself to me now!"

It was true that I thought that this was getting a bit too fast. Yes, I have acknowledged my love for him and had slept with him the previous night, but for him to ask me for my hand in marriage was something completely unexpected. I did not even think that he would ask me of such a thing!

Dionysus' eyes suddenly became hard and serious as he gazed at me. He suddenly grasped my hand, holding it in his gently yet firmly when he said, "I know that what I ask you may seem a bit too soon, and I know that you cannot believe this. But I know that what I ask you is the only thing I wish for right now."

No matter how lovely his words sounded right now, I still could not believe it. I cannot believe for a single second that he had just asked me to marry him, despite how earnest he was about this. It was too impossible to believe. It was too good to be true.

I looked away from him, letting my hair curtain my face from his view so that he could not see the confusion and anxiety on my face. "I do not think that your decision is wise, Dionysus. Surely there are more beautiful women who are more capable and deserving to be your bride than me. I am just a plain mortal, and I would never be on par with your greatness."

It was silent after that, but I felt his hand slowly easing off mine. I felt a twinge in my heart that he may follow my 'advice'. I knew then that was what I seemed to have wanted, but I could not help but slightly feel the opposite.

But all of a sudden, his arms suddenly wrapped around my frame and I was pulled into another of his embraces. I could immediately feel the warmth of his skin enveloping me, but I was more focused on how this embrace felt. It felt so comforting and affectionate, and also yearning. His arms formed a sort of barrier around me, and it was holding me to him in a sort of desperate way.

While I was still so overwhelmed by the feel of his embrace, I could feel him whispering into my ear, "Despite you not being my first, I know that you are my true. You are the only person I really want in my life, Ariadne. I want and need you, so very much. You bring warmth and brightness in my life, something that no one else has been capable to do. With you, I feel more in bliss than ever. I want to cherish you as the glory in my life. Believe me when I say that I love you. I love you with the entirety of my heart and soul. I love you as the sun loves the moon. I love you as the earth loves water. I love you as I love my life, and I love you more than the entire world. I love you, Ariadne. I swear upon the river Styx that I love you."

By the time Dionysus had finished his words, tears were streaming down my cheeks. Those tears were tears of joy and happiness, at hearing proclaim his love for me. His words were indeed like heavenly music and sacred hymns. More sweeter than wine, and more intoxicating than its ecstasy. And I knew very well that his words rang true, and there nothing false in them. Furthermore, he had uttered the divine sacred oath upon the great mystical river Styx when he proclaimed of his love for me, and to do so meant that he was being earnest in his words.

"Please, Ariadne," I heard him murmur into my ear, his delicious hot breath fanning over my skin. "Marry me."

At his proposal, I could only smile in happiness.

* * *

**_End of Part 1_**

* * *

Author's Note:

Alright! Part 1 of **_Drunk On Love_** is completed!

Now, it is time for Part 2 to start!

Alright, I must say that I am satisfied with how Part 1 had gone. Even though it was slightly difficult for me to write out each chapter, considering the fact that I had to see the story from the two different POVs of a god and a mortal. And I had faced writer's block many times throughout. But I am glad that I managed, and was able to meet everyone's satisfaction!

By the way, do not be surprised or disturbed that Dionysus had asked Ariadne to marry him after just one night of consummating their love. This is Greek Mythology, mind you. They could meet for the first time, fall desperately in love, and get married - all in one day. In fact, in the most common version of the myth of Dionysus and Ariadne, Dionysus had just found Ariadne on the beach of Naxos and married her right away, without even knowing very well about who she was. So I think that this part had managed to combat that.

Anyway! It is time for me to end Part 1 now! I will see you on Friday with the prologue to Part 2!

See you then!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	20. PART 2: Prologue

**_Part 2: Prologue_**

It had been a joyous occasion for them when they were wed under the bright shining stars and the bright silver moon in the dark and enchanting night sky of Nyx on the island of Lemnos, joined together in harmony as their revelry bore witness to their blessed union.

Ariadne had been the very image of a beautiful blushing bride, dressed in a beautiful silken gown of purples and greens – the colors of her new husband – and her arms and legs adorned with healthy twining green grapevines, to symbolize her eternal bond to the grapes of Dionysus. All around her, Maenads had danced in joy for their lord's new bride, and baby wildcats embraced her with their fondest feline affections. Ariadne herself had danced with so much grace and elegance that many would think she was a beautiful goddess instead of a mere mortal woman.

Dionysus had indeed been a very happy and handsome bridegroom, dressed in rich robes of leopard pelts and his dark hair adorned with a wreath of healthy twining green grapevines, which he wore to pair with the ones that adorned the graceful limbs of his new wife. All around him, his great wildcats had roared in unison to let everyone know of their master's marriage to his true love, and drinks were passed around to share on this joyous night.

To his new bride, Dionysus had gifted Ariadne a crown that he had requested of Hephaestus to craft specially for her. This crown was made of pure silver-gold, and crafted in the shape similar to the grapevine wreath he wore, with eight pure diamond stones encrusted into it as the ornaments of the crown. As he crowned her the crown that was named 'Corona', he had proclaimed her as his blessed wife and Queen, to forever stay by his side and in his life for the future to come.

Together, Dionysus and Ariadne had sung and danced and drunk to their heart's content, basking in their joyous new union.

After their extravagant wedding, their new life together as a married couple was one of nothing but bliss and happiness. Both remained faithful to the other, loving and bedding no one else but each other. They did not mind being bonded solely to each other. In fact, they enjoyed so very much to bask only each other in their love, loving it as much as wine and its ecstasy. To Ariadne, there was no other that was worthy of her love than Dionysus. To Dionysus, there was no other that was worthy of his love than Ariadne.

As the years passed by and they continued to travel to lands far and wide to find new places that were suited to be feasting grounds, they occasionally returned to Lemnos to revisit the land where they had fell in love and wedded.

And after each time they made love in Lemnos, Ariadne would bore Dionysus a son.

Together, they had twelve sons; demigod sons. Due to the golden ichor they had inherited from their father which mingled with the red blood they had inherited from the mother, these twelve sons grew into maturity rapidly within a few years. All of them soon left their lives in the revelry and their parents' home to make their own mark in the world.

Five of these sons – which included first and oldest son Oenopion, second son Staphylus, third son Thoas, fifth son Phanus, and the twelfth and youngest son Enyeus – grew up to serve under Rhadamanthys, Ariadne's estranged paternal uncle, who was known throughout the lands to be a wise and fair king with a strong sense of justice. For serving their granduncle until his death from old age, these five sons had made themselves famous throughout the world. Oenopion – the son who was proclaimed by his father to be the personification of wine – was made the King of Chios, known for bringing his great father's art of winemaking into the land. Staphylus became the founder of the island of Skopelos, before joining his brother Phanus to be part of the legendary Argonauts. Thoas was bequeathed the island of Lemnos itself, ruling his birthplace as its King. Enyeus was made King of the island of Skyros, where he ruled the land in peace.

As their many sons grew to be their own being, the marriage between Dionysus and Ariadne continued to be as strong as their relationship had been in the beginning, never once having troubles that plagued their union. Their relationship thrived throughout the years, all because of their immense love for each other.

For a very long time, nothing had ever disturbed their peaceful and blissful marriage.

* * *

Author's Note:

I know, I know! This chapter is too short. But this is just the Prologue to Part 2, and I wanted to keep it short, sweet and simple before heading right into the drama. This prologue only briefly describes Dionysus and Ariadne's marriage for the few following years; in short, it was a very happy one with very little problems.

Fret not! For Chapter 1 will arrive shortly on Monday. I can guarantee you that it is indeed very dramatic. By the way, to those who had read my fanfiction _**Promises**_, do you remember Oenopion?

By the way, I had actually published a kind of fluffy HermesXArtemis one-shot a few days ago. For those who are interested to read it, it is most appreciative if you do! :)

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	21. PART 2: Chapter 1

_**Part 2: Chapter 1**_

Dionysus

The humid air was thick and heavy with a sense of victory and relief. All around me, my soldiers were healing and resting, taking gulps of wine to calm their raging hearts and pounding heads. Luckily, most of them had survived the battle. The few that did not would forever be remembered in our hearts for their gallant fight.

In the big tent where I constructed my plans and gave instructions and orders to my men, I sat upon my wooden throne, where I was still adorned in my armor and dirty from dirt and ichor. With my golden thyrsus gripped tight in my hand, I sighed in relief at the fact that everything was over. Finally, after several long days, my army had conquered over the Indians of India.

The Indians had proven to be a problem a few months back when I had brought my thiasus to the West to explore new lands. The dark-skinned people had openly voiced their displeasure of my rituals, and had even threatened to violate my rites. It had been they who had first attacked us, crying out for battle in their foreign tongues, while we were enjoying wine and reveling about in the ecstasy. Thankfully, we had managed to quickly gain the upper-hand in the battle, and we reigned victorious.

Most of the Indians had retreated back to their lands in fear. I did not command my thiasus to give chase and hound them, for I found them to be the least of my problems. I had never wanted to have this fight in the first place, and I most certainly do not wish to continue it, now that it was finally over.

But in compensation for this battle, I have gained plenty of new prisoners to be my servants.

Many of them were women of all ages, while the others are children. There were a few men, but they were either rendered handicapped by an injury gained during the battle, or were already old at the end point of their thread of life. Nonetheless, I made sure that all of them had a good use to my revelry, because I would not want them to waste space and air.

"My lord."

I had not realized that I had been staring at the floor, so lost in my thoughts, until the voice sounded from the entrance flaps of the tent. I looked up and saw one of my satyr servants.

The satyr came forward and bowed in respect to me. "What is it?" I asked, my fingers playing idly with the staff in my hand.

"My lord, one of the Indian prisoners bears a gift to you," he told me as he straightened up. This close, I could see that the creature's face was streaked with dirt, sweat and blood, and so was his body; all the way from his hairy mortal-like chest to his hairy goat hind legs. Other than that, he was still standing strong.

I raised an eyebrow curiously. "A gift?" When he nodded, I sighed and told him nonchalantly, "Very well. Send them in. I could use a gift to liberate me of my stress."

The satyr bowed once more before turning to leave. I set aside my thyrsus and straightened up in my seat, just as the flaps moved as someone entered the tent.

When I saw who it was, I froze.

It was an Indian girl, who was somewhere around her late teenage years. I have seen this particular one around the camp, and I have heard from many that she was the princess of the tribe that had attacked us.

Truly, she did look like a princess. Although her face was that of a young girl's, her body was that of a woman's, with very graceful curves. Her hair was black as ink, thick and luscious, shining with the scented oils that had been rubbed into the strands and tresses, falling to the half of her back smoothly, and it was adorned with white garlands of sweet-smelling jasmine flowers. Her eyes were as brown as her dark skin, wide and bright, framed by long and thick dark lashes. Her nose was slim, although slightly hooked, which seemed to be quite a norm among the Indians. Slightly above the ridge of her nose, right in the center between her two perfectly-arched but slightly thick dark eyebrows, was a red dot, which was another norm among Indian women, for I have seen nearly all of them with the same type of dot.

The girl took small graceful steps forward, and I then realized what she was wearing. She wore what I had learnt was a sari, an Indian garment worn by the women which was a simple length of decorative and colorful cloth which was wrapped around the waist before the end was draped over the shoulder, leaving the midriff bare.

But one thing that was special about the girl's sari was that it was transparent red silk, and I could easily see her naked body underneath.

The girl stopped right in front of my throne and knelt. She pressed the palms of her hands together and raised it to the front of her face as she said in her heavily-accented voice, "Lord Dionysus."

"And who are you?" I questioned, keeping my voice sounding firm and steady.

"My name is Priya, my lord. Daughter of Lord Kumar of the Shanmugam tribe."

"And what brings you here, kneeling right before me?" I asked, keeping my eyes on her face and not her body.

Bringing her hands down to press them flat on her thighs, she looked at me with her round dark brown eyes as she replied, "I wish to pay you tribute, for sparing my life, and the lives of my fellow people here, from death. I also wish to congratulate you greatly on your victory, for indeed you have shown an amazing amount of power and strength."

My eyebrows rose in speculation, and I asked in a chuckle, "Is that why you come here, standing right in front of me, in a garment that barely even covers your modesty?"

The Indian princess, Priya, looked down at her lap in shyness, and she remained quiet for a long time. I too kept quiet, waiting to see what she has to offer me.

"Do you love tigers, my lord?"

I became confused at her question, and replied, "Yes, I do. Why do you ask that?"

Priya looked up at me and smiled prettily. "I have seen many tigers roaming around your campsite, my lord. In my culture, we see the tiger as a very sacred and important creature, one which is to be feared and cherished. And I have heard from the tales of you that you are a god of wild felines in your homeland, holding patronage over every wild feline."

She stood up and took a step closer to me when I asked, "And what is your point?"

Priya shut her eyes shyly as a smile graced her lips. "Have you heard how powerful a tiger's roar can be, my lord Dionysus?"

I nod, my eyes remained fixed on her. "Yes. So what?" I questioned her, curious as to where this was going.

She opened her dark eyes until they were only half-lidded, and I knew that she was attempting to look enticing and seductive. Her smooth hands moved to the tail of her transparent sari that was draped over her shoulder. As she pulled it away and let it down, slowly exposing her breasts, she whispered, "I wish to make you roar like a tiger as I pleasure you…"

All of a sudden, Priya screamed.

I jumped at the sudden sound, clearly not expecting that to happen. It only took me a few seconds to recover from my shock, and realize what was happening.

Behind Priya was Ariadne, whose beautiful face was thunderous with anger. Her eyebrows were pulled into a glaring frown, her lips were pulled back in a menacing snarl to show her gritted teeth, and her whole entire face was flushed red with anger. Beside her slender legs, Ariadne's favorite leopard stood on all fours, growling menacingly at the Indian princess whose hair was being wrenched by my wife.

"**YOU AWFUL WENCH!**" Ariadne shouted in rage as she threw the half-naked Priya hard to the ground. "**YOU STUPID SLAVE! YOU DIRTY SLUT! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW DARE YOU ATTEMPT TO SEDUCE **_**MY **_**HUSBAND?!**"

Ariadne gave a swift kick to Priya's behind, causing the Indian girl to cry out in pain. The girl's cries increased tenfold with fear when the leopard growled at her in warning.

"Forgive me, my lady!" Priya cried out desperately, her hands placed on the top of her head as though to protect herself. "I did not know! I did not know! Oh great Shakti, I did not know! Please, spare me! Please!"

Ariadne snarled and gave another kick to Priya's back before bending down to grab a handful of the girl's thick black hair roughly and painfully. Priya cried out once again and attempt to pry off Ariadne's grip on her, but the princess was suddenly slapped hard on the face by my wife. She then became silent, crying in whimpers as Ariadne shouted, "If I ever see you anywhere near my husband again, I will make sure that your punishment would be so severe that your tongue would be numb from crying out in mercy! Understand, you dark whore?!"

Priya nodded her head desperately, tears flowing fast down her dark cheeks. Ariadne let go of her then, and the helpless Indian princess was quick to get to her feet and scramble away. However, the leopard did not seem to want her to leave unscathed, and started to give chase with a roar. Priya realized this and immediately screamed in fear and terror when the leopard bit into her transparent sari and tore it away from her body and into shreds. The leopard then chased after the escaping Priya out of the tent, his frightening roars and her frightened screams heard even from inside the tent.

When my wife and I were finally alone, I let out a chuckle of amusement. However, the feeling was not shared.

"**What are **_**you **_**laughing at?!**" Ariadne shouted as she whipped her head to me, her eyes blazing with anger and her lips pulled into a dangerous snarl.

I stifled my chuckle and forced myself to make my smile disappear, and said to her, "I was just laughing at the way you scared her off. Truly terrifying, my love. And it was able to make her know her place."

Ariadne did not lighten up at my comment. If anything, she seemed more angrier than before.

"**You,**" she spat in a venomous voice as she advanced towards me, "**have the nerve to let that **_**harlot **_**go that far! You just sat there and watched as she attempted to seduce you! It was as though you were actually waiting for her to pleasure you!**"

"But I did not do anything with her!" I protested, standing up from my throne and making my way towards her.

Ariadne backed up a few steps, as though she did not want me to come any closer to her. With her hot gaze maintained on my eyes, she shouted, "**How dare you, Dion?! I am your wife, and you would still have the nerve of watching a stupid girl get naked for you! Do you think that it was fine to feast your eyes upon the bare body of another female while I stand aside and be clueless as to these happenings?! How could you, Dion?! How could you do that to me?!**"

I will admit that this was not the first fight we have ever had, but this was most certainly the worst fight we ever had. I do love Ariadne very much, but the swing of emotions that came with a mortal female were sometimes too hard for even me to bear. Furthermore, I did not appreciate being shouted at. I had just gotten out of a war, for Olympus' sake!

With a snort, I replied in a hard voice, "What has gotten you so worked up, my dear? It's not like I have not seen another woman's naked body before. What with all the Maenads shedding their clothes off during each revelry, do you think that it would have easily escaped my eyes? What's more, you do not seem to mind them, so why mind this girl?"

That certainly threw Ariadne off, because she then froze and stared at me in shock and disbelief. Her lips parted slightly, as though she wished to retort back an insult but could not find any words to come to her tongue. Her eyes gave away that she was at a loss of what to say, and I smiled victoriously to myself.

However, that smile immediately disappeared when her expression changed.

Her whole body suddenly became slack, losing the will to stand tall and firm in anger. Her breathing, which had been rapid with ferocity, was now slow and deep. But there were still tears that were beginning to form in her beautiful eyes, with a few now falling down her cheeks in fast and messy rivulets. She too started trembling as she held back her anger inside, her pursed lips quivering and her tight fists shaking. The rage in her eyes was still there, but there was now an expression of immense sadness.

Immediately, I began to regret my words to her. Usually, I would never regret anything that I do, since I do not have much of a care for its consequences. But any wrong that I had committed towards Ariadne was like a blow to my heart. I hated it when my beloved wife became saddened and pained because of what I had done, for I did not want to make her saddened and pained in the very first place. I never had any intention to do such a thing to her. And if I ever did, I regretted it instantly.

Before I could say anything, Ariadne immediately turned on her heels and ran out of the tent. I panicked then, chasing after her as I called out her name.

"Ariadne! Please, wait!"

When I had exited my tent, I found that I could not see her anywhere in the mass crowd of followers and prisoners. I cursed under my breath, hurriedly weaving through the dense area as I searched frantically for my wife. A few of my people were looking at me in curiosity and confusion, probably wondering why I – still in my battle armor and dirtied from battle – was calling out for Ariadne like a lost child. But I paid no heed to their eyes and thoughts because they were the least of my concerns now.

Suddenly, I felt a tug at the hem of my tunic. I hesitantly looked down to find Ariadne's leopard, which had bit onto my tunic gently to tug for my attentions.

The creature was tugging my tunic insistently in a direction, his eyes giving me the message that he had intended me to follow that way. I hesitated for a while, wanting so desperately to continue looking for Ariadne. But I then followed willingly when I realized that the leopard was actually trying to lead me to her.

I followed him through the thick tropical Indian forest, stealthily moving around every obstacle that blocked my path. I was able to keep up pace with the leopard, which was moving with graceful speed and agility. My own movements mirrored his; fast, graceful, agile.

Finally, we came to the outskirts of the forest, which then ultimately led to the beach; the same beach that I and my thiasus had arrived and first set foot on a few weeks back. In the light of the evening sun, the ocean that was bright and clear bluish-green was highlighted a soft orange from the slowly sinking sun's dying light. Above the sparkling ocean, the sky was slowly turning from a soft orange into the light dark blue of an early night sky.

But it was not the ocean or the sky that had my attentions for long. It was the figure that was pacing around where the water reached the sand, her feet splashing about there.

Ariadne was blankly looking up ahead at the evening sun.

But from where I stood, I could see the light that was illuminating the wet tear tracks on her cheeks and the glistening of her eyes. Her mouth was pursed tightly with the corners turned downwards. In her hand, clenched tightly in her fingers, was an empty bronze chalice. That immediately gave me the realization that she had just recently drank, now strengthen with the notice of a drunk swaying in her movements.

When I carefully came closer to her, my loving wife wept and, as she paced the curving beach, delivering disheveled yet melodious words in a sad and broken voice.

"Oh, Fates! Why have you brought upon such an awful event upon me? Why must you sisters send a temptation in the form of a young and beautiful woman to my husband? Have you determined that he would be unfaithful to me; he who had been nothing but truthful and honest in our marriage bond? Have you determined that he would grow tired of me, for now I seem to not be as beautiful as the Indian whore that you had sent to him to be a toy of pleasure? What have you planned for him to do? Will he abandon me for that dark harlot, as the damnable Theseus had abandoned me on the island of Naxos a few years back? I have already suffered the pain and agony of being abandoned and forgotten, but why do you make it seem as though you wish for me to go through that horrid ordeal once again? I am only mortal, and I am unable to bear such pain in great amounts. And I am also a wife, so of course I worry that my husband would betray me for another! Please, great Fates! Spare me from the horrible thought! My years of marriage to Dionysus had been one of bliss, and I do wish for it to remain that way. Please, great Fates! May our marriage not be tarnished, no cracks being seen! Please, great Fates! Do not take what I cherish away from me!"

Her hurting and pleading words instantly made my heart feel heavy. The sadness she felt immediately spread to me and begun taking effect, making me want to weep for her. I had not intended to make her feel this way, and I felt absolutely horrible that I did. My darling, sweet, dear wife, who has been saddened by my stupid words.

Ariadne did not protest when I came forward and took her into an embrace. I wrapped my arms gently around her frame as I pulled her close to me, her back flat against my chest. I buried my face in her pale blonde hair as I did, the scent of her perfume was almost fresh, and I sighed as I breathed it in. I ran my hands up and down her arms in a soothing gesture to show her that I felt remorseful of my actions. However, she did not hug me back. In fact, she became even more tensed, and that made me feel much worse.

"Please do not be sad…" I whispered to her pleadingly. "It makes me sad…"

She did not reply, but she did sniffle in response and turned her head to look at me with her teary grey-green eyes. My heart broke even more as I looked at her pained and saddened face this closely.

I turned her so that she was facing me, before taking her into an embrace once again. I held her against my chest gently, and I breathed in relief when I felt her arms wrapping around my neck. I ran my hand down her back soothingly while I murmured into her ear, "I am so very sorry for saying that to you, love… I should not have let my arrogance overcome me… I was so stupid and thoughtless…"

Her grip around my neck tightened gently, and I continued on. "I would never do such a thing to you ever, my beloved Ariadne… I will never betray you for another… I will never abandon you, for you are my blissful wife and the loving mother of my sons… You are the light of my life and the warmth in my heart… There is no other but you… If you are not there with me, I will feel so lost and utterly alone…"

I pulled away so that I faced her once again, and I brought my hands to cup her cheeks so that I can wipe her tears away with my thumbs. Ariadne was much more calmer now as she gazed at me softly.

I leaned in so that I could kiss her soft and sweet lips. Even after seven mortal years of being married to her, our moments of love were still very strong and powerful. I would always feel as though I was melting in pleasure whenever I feel her on me. This kiss between us was no different, with her kissing me back just as gently as I did her.

In the middle of our kiss, I could hear her whisper, "I forgive you… But please do not do such a thing to me again…"

I kissed her deeper in response. "I promise, Ariadne…" I replied. "I swear…"

When we returned to the camp later on after a while of just spending some time together on the beach, I ordered one of my servants to find Priya – who had miraculously survived being attacked by Ariadne's leopard, although she was still shaken with fear – and sell her off into a slave market. She was still one of my prisoners, and there was no way in the world was I going to send her back to the comforts of her battle-torn village for what she had done to Ariadne. I also demanded that most of my prisoners be sold off, for I did not want too many passengers on my ship.

Later that night, I tucked Ariadne to sleep, coaxing her to rest well before we set sail for home when dawn finally approached.

* * *

Author's Note:

Let's kick-start the first chapter of Part 2 with some intense drama, shall we?

In true mythology, Dionysus had ventured to India and engaged in battle with the Indians. And there had been an Indian princess who he had taken a big liking to. It's unclear whether or not he took this Indian princess as a lover, but either way, Ariadne had been saddened that Dionysus was showing interest in another woman. Dionysus heard her cries on the beach, and proclaimed that his love was for her and her only. (This information is found in Ovid.)

Ariadne did not actually attack this Indian princess in truth, but I decided to have her do it to show you guys how she had grown in strength but also in ruthlessness since Part 1. But what wife wouldn't be as pissed as her if they found out another woman tried to seduce their husband? I know I would!

Also, I mean no offense to any Indians who are reading this. I am not making this up for my own entertainment, because it had been recorded in Dionysus' myths. If this chapter offended you, then I do apologize.

So I hope you guys enjoyed the first chapter of Part 1, and I will see you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	22. PART 2: Chapter 2

**_Part 2: Chapter 2_**

Ariadne

When I cracked my eyes open, the first rays of the morning sun's light was illuminating the tent from outside. By the way I winced at the sudden realization of the sun, it was very bright by now.

I sat up, stretching my arms languidly as I did. I could feel sleep slowly disappearing away from my body the more I moved, and I sighed heavily as I sat quietly to allow myself to fully wake up. I turned my head to the side to look at Dionysus, who was still in a deep slumber with his right arm still draped over my belly.

I smiled to myself as I admired the beauty of my husband. Even after seven years of marriage, and twelve beautiful and now independent sons by him, I was still not able to believe the fact that I was lucky enough to have such an amazing being as my husband. Dionysus' beauty was still as ethereal and radiant as ever, and many occasions I have still found myself breathless at the picture of his beauty.

I leaned down to give him a soft kiss to his cheek. He did not wake, but he mumbled something unintelligible under his breath and sighed as a small smile played on his lips. I giggled quietly and pressed another kiss to his cheek before I got up from our sleeping mats.

After donning on a silk sleeping robe and tying the sash around my waist to secure it and make sure I was fully covered, I ventured outside into the camping grounds. The Grecian air was cold with the scent of crisp and dried leaves, which littered the entirety of floor of the forest. This was because it was now the last month of autumn now, and winter was to approach soon.

A long time ago, when I had been a young girl, there had been no such weather in the land, and everything was shining and bright from the rays of the golden sun, and nature was always flourishing with new fruits and flowers, and good and bountiful harvests. But these strange occurrences to the weather, when everything became cold and dying, had started when I was somewhere around thirteen, a good five years before I had met Dionysus. I remembered being very cold and having to stay inside the palace because it was warm with all the many hearths being lighted up and burning with fires. Food had become a shortage then, and I and my family had been on a brink of starvation. Many people had died from the cold and starvation, causing one of the worst death rates in the island at that point of time. Many had prayed to the gods for help, while many believed that the gods themselves were doing this as a sort of punishment.

But before it could get any worse, it stopped, and started becoming warm and bright once again. However, it started once again after nine months. By that time, people had learnt how to store our harvests and keep them aside in preparation of these frost months – referred to as 'autumn', which was the dying months, and 'winter', which was the cold months – where nothing would grow, so that we would still have enough food to survive.

When I experienced my first winter with Dionysus, he told me the story behind their creation. The Harvest Goddess Demeter created these strange happenings to nature out of grief, because her daughter, the Spring Goddess Persephone, had been taken by the fearsome Hades of the Underworld to be his Queen of the Dead. Apparently, Hades had tricked Persephone to eat six pomegranate seeds, which was a taboo for Aboveworld deities as this would cause them to be forever trapped in the Underworld. However, Dionysus' father, the Great Zeus of the Skies, decreed that Persephone spent half of a year with Demeter on the Aboveworld, and the other half with Hades in the Underworld. When Persephone was with her mother, the Earth flourished greatly in good health. But once she descended into the Underworld, everything would start to die and be engulfed in icy coldness, and nothing would grow until the Goddess of Spring returned.

I do not usually talk about this subject a lot, because I had learnt to not openly talk about anything relating to Hades. I had feared the Underworld God-King from young. I feared his wrath and cruelty, as he was said to be a very harsh ruler in his realm of the damned. I, like many others, wished to evade Death long enough so that I could avoid an early meeting with the God of the Dead. However, I could not help but feel pitiful for the Goddess of Spring. I had never met this half-sister of Dionysus, but I felt sorry that she had to be unwillingly bound to a realm that she does not truly belong in. I could sometimes imagine her, looking like a wilting flower that had once been beautiful and full of life, sitting unhappily and full of misery on a throne of bones next to a grim and horrifying Hades as he placed punishments on every soul who came to him to beg for mercy. Such an image would always make me shudder.

And thus, I shuddered, and willed myself to forget about that thought. Taking a deep breath to collect my bearings, I went away into the nearby forests. By this time, many of the thiasus are awake, some still half-drunk from last night's revelry while some going about and doing chores such as lighting up fires for warmth. Many of the wildcats too are up and about, some even returning from the forests after hunting, bringing with them game that was to be cooked for our feasts later on.

My leopard found me and immediately came to my side. I gave him a caress to the top of his head, making him purr in satisfaction before he started to lick my fingers affectionately. He followed me to a hot spring nearby, about to act as my personal – and very protective – guard while I bathed in privacy.

But just halfway there, a voice stopped us.

A familiar voice.

"I see that you've returned, Ariadne."

I gasped in surprise and turned my head in the direction of the voice immediately. Immediately I saw Artemis, who was approaching from out of the trees with a warm smile on her pretty pink lips.

"Artemis!" I exclaimed happily as I rushed forward and threw my arms around her. Despite the force of my body being thrown at her, Artemis did not stagger back, instead still standing firm as though I was just a simple wind that was breezing past her. The warmth of her body immediately radiated to me, a sudden change from the cold air around us.

Artemis laughed melodiously and wrapped her own arms around me, completing our affectionate embrace. I smiled at the thought that my very good friend was here once again. My time in India had truly caused me to miss her presence very much, and I was glad that she was here.

When we pulled away, I said to her, "Oh, how I have missed you, Artemis! It was difficult not having someone close to talk to while I was away."

Artemis smiled and grasped my hands gently in hers. "I missed you too, Ariadne," she told me. "I'm just glad that you're back already."

Artemis followed me to the hot spring, which I knew was one of the many that she owned as part of the wildlands that she ruled, because I invited her to swim there with me. At this point, Artemis and I had swam together numerous times, like I had with some Maenads in the revelry. I was not nervous to expose my body now, since my years with the thiasus had loosened me out of my self-conscious restraints.

When I had shed my sleeping robe off my bare body, letting my leopard take it away to spread it flat on a rock, Artemis unpinned the dark purple-dyed fleece himation she donned over a long green wool dress she wore. She shed off her dress and took off her boots, leaving herself as naked as I was.

The both of us got into the water at the same time, but I discretely sneaked glances at Artemis, making sure that my watching was not noticeable enough and could not be considered gawking. I could not but be entranced by the beauty she possessed in her form. The words of wise men were right when they said that each deity - especially a goddess - had a beauty that was truly so divine and unearthly.

Suddenly, I felt a slight twinge of discomfort in the deep of my gut as I took in the image of Artemis. When I looked down for some reason, as though instincts were telling me to, I immediately saw my slightly messy and blurry reflection in the waters of the spring.

I was now in between the twenty-fifth and the twenty-sixth year of my life. If I were to have been married to a mortal like me, I would still be considered young and at the proper age to be a wife. Furthermore, the person who would have been my husband would surely be someone much older than I was, since it was a norm for men to take wives that were decades younger than them.

However, that was not my case. Instead, I was married to a god; a god that was forever and eternally youthful, with no signs of age ever coming upon him. Every day that passed by, he would still look the same; beautiful, flawless, perfect, etc.

It had occurred to me once before, but now I found myself fully thinking of the fact that, despite being technically younger than Dionysus, who was already a few centuries older than me, I looked much too old to be his wife. Furthermore, my birthing of twelve semi-divine sons had assisted in the transformation of my now much mature – or much older – face, that was no longer one of smooth and clear youthfulness, but now streaked with slight wrinkle lines and more age-defined features. I had been in my late teenage years when I had met him for the very first time, looking to be the same age as him, or else he could have looked slightly older at the time. Now, it was vice versa. I looked a good few years older than him. He still had the face of a fresh young man while I seemed to be some sort of older woman who was taking him as a young lover.

To be with someone who would be young for all eternity while I would age by each passing second of time was indeed something worrisome and nerve-wrecking for me. I could feel an uncomfortable heaviness forming in me just at the very thought of it. Many doubts would be born out of these doubts, and it did not help to alleviate my sense of dismay.

"Ariadne?"

I looked up from my reflection to see Artemis looking at me with a look of concern etched onto her eternally youthful and beautiful face. The sudden thought that I too looked older than her – and seeing her still have the perfect, flawless and mesmerizing beauty from when I had first met her seven years ago – pained me with a sudden kick-like sensation to my gut.

"Is something wrong?" Artemis asked, her concern slowly increasing. "The look on your face tells me that you are thinking of something that is bothering you. Would you like to talk about it? Maybe I can help?"

I knew very well that I had no will to tell Artemis of my bothersome insecurities about my age. I did not want to bring up such a petty and insignificant matter. And even if it really did bother me, I do not think I would wish to share the burden with Artemis.

"No, no. It's nothing," I lied in a calm and steady voice with a smile. "I'm just a slightly bit still tired from the journey home. A good moment in this hot spring is sure to be what I need to replenish myself."

Very soon, we were bathing ourselves in the spring as we spent time together in a warm and friendly surrounding, and I was able to put aside the dreary thoughts of age to the side of my mind for just a little while.

XXX

After we had finished bathing and had put back on our clothing, Artemis suddenly informed me, "I am not leaving just yet. To be honest, I had actually come here to speak with Dionysus."

I became curious, for that was not really a usual reason for Artemis' unexpected visits. What's more, the hint of seriousness in her eyes indicated to me that whatever she had intended to speak about with my husband was not something that was all fun.

Artemis seemed to have caught on the look in my eye, for she then said, "I bring with me news of an important matter. It regards him, and I would need to speak with him as soon as possible."

The noticeable note of urgency in her voice was what made me say, "Oh, of course. I will take you to him."

With my leopard walking beside us, Artemis followed me back to the camp.

* * *

Dionysus

I had just donned my chiton when Ariadne entered the tent. I knew then that she had returned from bathing somewhere, since her hair was still wet.

Seeing her instantly brought a smile to my face, and I immediately approached her to give a kiss to her lips. However, instead of the long one that I had intended to have, the kiss was brief because she suddenly pushed me away gently.

Before I could even ask, Ariadne told me, "Artemis is here. She wishes to see you."

Artemis? Now that was quite unexpected. I had expected Hermes to be the first of my Olympian family that I would see since coming back home, but not Artemis.

"Did she say why she was here?" I asked. Sometimes, Artemis would visit me only whenever she had chanced upon my feasting grounds while she was on her daily hunts in the vast forestland. But usually she would just spend time with Ariadne.

Slipping off her sleeping robe in front of me, which immediately made me feel a sudden flare of lust at the sight of her bare beauty, but then taking one of her loose dresses and putting it on, Ariadne answered, "She says she comes bringing news of an important matter to you. She insists that she sees you immediately."

Important matter? What sort of important matter would Artemis hold for me? It was rare enough to she would come visit to only see me, but to have some sort of important matter to discuss?

When I had finished watching my wife tie up the lacings of her dress, I said, "Alright then. I shall see her right now."

Ariadne gave me a kiss to my cheek before telling me that she will give me some privacy to talk with Artemis before going out the tent flaps. Not more than a few seconds later, the tent flaps moved again as someone new entered.

"Artemis," I smiled and bowed in good greeting. "Pleasure to see you again."

"Dionysus," she replied with a bow of her head and a slight smile. "Good to know that you have returned from the West, safe and sound. I have heard from Apollo that you had succeeded in reigning victorious in a battle against a race called the Indians?"

I nodded. "Indeed, I had," I exclaimed. "A troublesome group they were, blatantly voicing their disapproval and displeasure of my reveling and even threatening to bring an end to my rites. Fools they were when they came up with the stupid decision to attack."

But as I was chuckling to myself at the thought of my victory in India, I heard Artemis sigh. In a serious and grim voice, she said, "While I can honestly congratulate you on your success in the foreign land, this is unfortunately not the end of those who wish to discard your rites."

That immediately caught on my attentions. "What?" I questioned in confusion. "What do you mean by that?"

Holding my gaze steady with her serious-looking dark blue eyes, she revealed to me informatively, "In Argos, a revolt against your Bacchic practices of wine-making and reveling has begun. The citizens there are denying and protesting against your existence as an Olympian god."

The shock of that piece of news hit me like a jab of a sharp spear to my heart.

"WHAT?!" I exclaimed in a sudden flare of fury and insult. "Who dare to start such a heinous act?"

Artemis was not fazed by my sudden outburst as she answered, "The King of Argos himself. Perseus, the famous slayer of the snake-haired gorgon Medusa, and one of our many half-brothers by our father Zeus. It was he who decreed that your rites and rituals be abolished, for he found it a nuisance that your rites and rituals supported madness and ecstasy."

The fact that I discovered that it was a son of my father did not make it any better. Like my other Olympian half-siblings, I was not so fond of the demigod children of my father, especially those who tend to be arrogant to think that they are better than us. There was already too many of them for us to give a damn about, unless one of them gave us a reason to hold our interests.

And this Perseus definitely had my interests. Unfortunately, it was not in my favor.

"How had you come to know of this?" I inquired of her, straining to hold back the flame that was starting to burn within me.

"I roam random cities in the guise of a mortal sometimes," Artemis told me informatively. "I had come to know of this just a few days ago, when I paid a visit to Argos. Many of them had begun to preach of you being a fake and a fraud. Your temples had been discarded, with not even a single priest to tend to your altars or give you offerings. I am sorry to tell you that many of Argos' people are all starting to lose their belief in you, because of Perseus."

I was silent afterwards, letting my half-sister's words sink into me. This was indeed something that came as a shock to me. I was so shocked that I could not bring any words to come to my tongue. Artemis stood aside in silence as well, watching me carefully.

It was at that moment the silence was killed when I finally let out a yell of rage that had been building up in my throat. I turned on my heel and instantly flipped over a nearby table, causing the bowls of fruit that had been resting on top of it to fall to the flour, the ceramic bowl immediately breaking upon contact with the ground and the fruits rolling away in separate directions.

"**HOW DARE HE!**" I snarled in anger, which was by now burning and blazing white-hot from deep within me. "**HOW DARE HE COMMIT SUCH HUBRIS TO ME! DOES HE NOT KNOW WHO I AM?! DOES HE NOT KNOW WHO HE WAS HE DEALING WITH?!**"

Artemis responded with a snort. Throughout my moment of immense rage, she had been unfazed, as though she had expected me to react in such a way.

"I suppose he does not think that you are that powerful. Dionysus, I myself absolutely despise those who dare to threaten us, especially those that are born of Zeus' seed. They should be aware that their place is below us Olympians, and they have absolutely no right. If it be me in your position, I will make sure that they get what they deserve for their insolence. They do not deserve a second chance with us for their misdeeds."

All of a sudden, a new change started within me, as fast like a snap of fingers and the strike of lightning in the sky.

Artemis' words suddenly set the formation of an idea in my mind into motion. I was beginning to form a plan to give comeuppance for the damn Perseus' insulting deeds. A plan that was sure to show him that I will not let this matter slide, and that he would pay dearly if he were to keep the fire of his hubris burning. I was going to make sure that this would show him that I can bring as much damage to him as he did me.

With a firm angered determination, I proclaimed to Artemis, "I think I may have found the solution. To show him that he will be paid _dearly _for his actions."

With a slight upward incline of her head, her eyes assessing me completely, Artemis simply replied, "Then I wish you the best of luck, Dionysus."

Wordlessly, she then turned and left, leaving me to prepare to execute the plan that had now fully-formed within my mind.

I made it for certain that it would not be a light 'warning'. I truly do intend to teach that bastard that I am not someone to be trifled with.

* * *

Author's Note:

Seriously, I do feel sorry for Ariadne in this chapter. The thought of being the only one that grows old while your loved ones remained eternally young is not something nice, and it certainly does not give a very pleasant feeling. I don't think I would ever want to be in her situation. I'm just glad that I am not.

By the way, guys. I just uploaded a new one-shot called **_A Good_** Relation. This is _WAY_ different from my other one-shots, because it is the first that focuses on my favorite god and my favorite goddess, Hades and Artemis 0.0

Anyway! It's the one-month long holidays here in Singapore, and this would just leave me with ample time to write out the future chapters :) So hopefully this can be done, and I hope that I would be able to properly build up the story to its peak!

Oh! And many of you are all curious about what Part 2 would be all about! Well, all I can say is; read on and find out!

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	23. PART 2: Chapter 3

_**Part 2: Chapter 3**_

Ariadne

Dionysus stood in front of me, looking at me with those warm dark hazel brown eyes of his. His perfect lips were pulled into an enchanting and mesmerizing smile as he gazed at me with love and affection, and it was so breathtakingly beautiful that it seemed to make my heart swell with emotion and melt in the moment.

It was then he extended both his hands out to me, his palms opened in welcome and facing upwards. His eyes gestured for me to put mine in his, so that we may be linked by touch and feel. I could just imagine the warmth of his body seeping from his fingertips into my hands, radiating throughout my entire body and giving it a pleasurable feel.

Holding my eyes onto his, I made to place one of my hands in his grasp.

But all of a sudden, instead of the feel of his warm skin on mine, I felt an odd sensation. It was the feeling of falling apart bit by bit, slowly disintegrating out of my form, and disappearing slowly. And it was accompanied by the feeling of not being able to feel my own hand. It was as though it had suddenly gone numb and cold; almost lifeless.

With sudden alarm, my eyes tore away from his gaze to look at my hands. Imagine the shock and fear that overwhelmed me when I saw that my skin had been turned into something akin to pale white sand, and that I really was disintegrating and falling apart. The small and soft – nearly non-existent – grains that were supposedly me was being blown away by a breeze that could not be felt and seem to not exist, making me turn less and less with each passing second.

With a yell of fear, I shook my hands in an attempt to get the mysterious sand off me, thinking that it was not truly part of my skin and that it was just something unusual that was covering me. Unfortunately, I had made it worse, for it _was _my skin that had turned to sand, and the shaking motions of my hands had accelerated the disintegration of my fingers.

Frantically, I looked up and Dionysus in panic. When I had met his eyes once again, I saw that he was blank-faced and his eyes held no emotions within them. That immediately frightened me even more; I found the thought of my husband not showing any form of feeling to be scary, for he was always so full of life and had a manic swing of moods to signify his activeness.

Dionysus' features remained solid and perfect, like he always had been. His blank and empty eyes continued to hold mine, his gaze boring into my soul. He was no longer smiling, his lips only sealed in a straight line. The ten lean and long fingers of his hand closed up slowly as his arms retracted away.

"Dion?!" I cried out his name. "Dion, what is happening?!"

But Dionysus did not say anything. He just kept silent, simply staring

All of a sudden, I saw that he too was starting to disappear, but not in the disintegrating manner that I was going through. Instead, he was simply fading away into nothingness

"Dion!" I cried out in a shrill scream, feeling panic and anxiety starting to rise in my rapidly hammering heart. My hand shot out to grab him, but it only resulted in it easily passing through his vanishing form and the sands to disintegrate further, causing me to lose the entire length of my arms.

It was then I felt the sands blowing away in the non-existent breeze more quickly, and in a matter of just a few seconds, I could hear myself scream as I finally lost my entire body and my face started to feel like it was disappearing as well.

However, my scream continued to sound as the sight of the inside of my sleeping tent came to view.

As I was sitting, my eyes darted all over the interior of the sleeping tent frantically, taking in the stark and clear image of the oil lamps that were placed in all parts to give soft glowing light to the room in the night. Beads of sweat were starting to form on my forehead, sticking bits of my hair to my skin. I could still feel my heart hammering inside my chest, and when I placed my hand above it to somehow calm down its frantic pace, I felt ultimate relief washing over me when I realized that I could the skin of my bare breast which was firm and solid.

_It was a dream…. Just a dream… It was… It was just… A… A nightmare…_

Suddenly, I could feel a hand being placed only shoulder, causing me to turn my head around in the direction almost instantaneously and my heart to race slightly more. The first thing I saw was Dionysus, who was also sitting up from the sleeping mats that we had both been lying down on.

Far different than the look he had on in my nightmare, his facial features were etched entirely with worry, concern and confusion.

His voice was gentle and full of genuine concern when he asked, "Love? You had a night terror. Is everything alright?"

I did not answer his question, as I realized that I had a lump in my throat that had prevented me from speaking. But I immediately threw my arms around his neck and hugged him, burying my face in the crook of my neck as I tried hard to take in deep breaths to calm myself down. My fingers sought purchase in his luscious wavy locks of dark hair, feeling how soft and silky it felt to my fingertips.

With the feel of his body against mine, I felt even more relieved at the fact that this was no longer my night terror, but he was really here and not fading away into nothingness.

I could feel his arms wrapped around mine tenderly, his hands running up and down my bare back soothingly. I could hear him whisper into my ear gently, "Do not worry, my heart's dearest. I am here. I am here. You are alright. It's okay."

His words immediately sent a warmth that seeped into me, like the warmth of his body. I tightened my embrace on him, wanting to find the security and comfort that I could only get in the arms of my husband. However and unfortunately, I could not feel comforted yet; not when one question started nagging me from deep within my heart.

The question came out in between a gasp of air and a cry of sadness, but it still sounded very clear to be heard.

"Would you still love me, even when I am gone?"

I knew he had heard it, for his body started to tense noticeably when the question had been asked. As I kept my face hidden in the crook of his neck, his arms started to tighten even more around me, causing me to feel even more of his warmth and comfort. His hold seemed protective, caring, loving….

… And somewhat afraid.

Dionysus did not answer my question. Instead, he beckoned me to go back to sleep, telling me that he would be here right beside me so that he can pull me out of a night terror if it starts up once again. With me kept in his strong and gentle embrace, he kissed the top of my head and soothed me to sleep peacefully.

While I did just that very soon after, I still could not help but relieve the awful moments of that scary and disturbing dream.

* * *

Dionysus

I watched as she calmly sat at the rock on the edge of the water pool, gazing at her reflection in the clear water with blank concentration but deep thinking. Her leopard was curled up around her with his head resting on her lap. Her fingers were absentmindedly caressing the creature's head, her motions slow and steady.

I think I know what she was thinking about. It was sure to have been the nightmare that she had last night. She had been so afraid and shaken by it when she had abruptly woken up from her sleep with a scream, and it seemed that the dream has still not left her mind. I had a feeling that she was playing the thought of that nightmare in her mind over and over again, recalling every single detail that had happened.

"Love," I called out to her gently, standing by the rock she was sitting on. Her eyes continued to look right at her reflection in the pool's water, but I knew that her attentions were all on me.

With a deep breath, I asked her gently, "Are you alright? Do you still feel shaken over what had happened in you last night?"

Remaining silent, Ariadne nodded her head. I climbed onto the rock and moved then to take a seat right next to her, looking at my face beside her's in the reflection of the water. The leopard moved away from us to join its brothers and sisters that were roaming around in the forests, leaving us the privacy to be on our own. I immediately wrapped my arm around her, pulling her close so that I could have her near me.

Turning my head so that my lips touched her temples, I inquired, "What do you mean when you asked me that? What do you mean when you say that question?"

I could feel Ariadne stiffen suddenly, and her gaze at her reflection become as hard as stone. Her breathing started becoming slow and deep, as though she was trying to calm herself down.

It seems that my question had caused a new disturbance within her, but I could not take back what I had said. I needed to know what had gotten her to be like this.

"Tell me," I beckoned my wife gently. "Tell me what you experienced last night."

Ariadne turned so that she was facing me, and I could saw the pain that was clear in her grey-green eyes. With her free hand, she brought her hand up to trace her fingers gently down my cheeks.

Holding my gaze, she told me, "I had a nightmare… where I was about to take your hand… But before we could touch, I turned to sand and started to disintegrate… I also watched in horror as you faded away into nothing before my very eyes, and I was unable to reach you… I was so afraid, Dion… I was so very afraid…"

She shut her eyes and leaned in to rest the side of her head on my shoulder. I tightened my hold on her, holding her gently and wanting to soothe her.

"I understand what the nightmare meant, Dion…" she whispered painfully. "It meant that every second of my life is passing by, like the sands that disintegrate. Very soon, I will disappear from this world when Death comes upon me, and that I would never see you again because you are immortal… You will live forever, while I will die when the time comes…"

I did not like where this conversation was going. Now, I knew of the fact that, because Ariadne was still a mortal, and thus her time would reach an end once her thread of life had been cut. But I did not want to think of the fact that Ariadne would leave this world soon. It only helped to make me feel a heavy pain in my heart.

Immediately, I told her in firm disapproval, "No. No, do not say that, Ariadne. Nothing has happened to you. You are not gone. You are still here. You are still breathing. You are still alive. And you are still with me."

Ariadne shook her head as looked up at me, and it was then I could see that tears were already forming in her eyes. Some were already streaming down her cheeks, and I quickly kissed them away. I mopped up her tears gently with my lips, before pressing it full against her lips. I kissed her with all the love I had for her, feeling the strong urge to wipe away the fear that lingered deep in her heart.

But then, she pushed me away so that I was looking at her again. With a questioning gaze, she asked me, "Why do you not turn me into your kind? That way, I could easily be alive with you forever. We would never have to worry of time taking me away from you. We would never be separated."

Her words made me completely still, and it caused me to think of how much I could _not _easily do what she had suggested.

With a heavy sigh, I told her hesitantly, "I cannot simply do that…"

Her eyes became pained again almost instantaneously, and she asked quietly in disbelief, "Why not?"

How do I tell her? How do I tell her that I was not doing this because I do not want to, but because I simply could not? The thought of turning Ariadne immortal was not something to be taken lightly. I simply cannot give her ambrosia, the great and powerful drink of the gods, and turn her into an immortal. Ambrosia was truly sacred, and it cannot be simply given to one that was not a being of divinity. Thus, Ariadne was strictly forbidden from drinking ambrosia, because she was just a mortal.

If she was to drink the sacred ambrosia, she would have to have permission from the highest being of order of all, which would be Zeus. He knew that she was my wife, but had not made any sort of acknowledgement to her. I thought that was more of a good thing, for I did not express any interest for Ariadne to mingle around with other gods when she was still a vulnerable mortal.

When I realized I had remained silent for too long, Ariadne finally told me in a quiet – and very disappointed and sad – murmur, "It is alright… You do not have to explain yourself, my husband… Furthermore, I think it would be unfit for someone of my age to become immortal… Because I am now old, and you are still youthful… I will never look the part of your wife…"

This time, her words made me frown, because what she was saying about herself was a complete and utter lie.

"No. Never say that, Ariadne," I told her firmly. "You are the most beautiful woman in my eyes. No other, not even a goddess, could ever hold a candle to the beauty that you possess, my lovely Ariadne. To me, you are all, and so much more, that I could ever wish to have. I can honestly proclaim to you that I feel blessed to have you as my wife."

Thankfully, my words seemed to have lightened up her spirits, for a smile graced her lovely lips after that. Her smile caused my own to appear, and I promptly pulled her into another embrace. She wrapped her arms around me as well, hugging me as gently and as tightly as I did her.

But even with us sharing in this intimate moment, the tension of her qualms – and mine – still lingered faintly in the air around us.

* * *

Ariadne

After our conversation at the pool, we returned to the campsite not long after. By then, everyone was getting ready for our nightly revelries, with some starting to get drunk on the wine already.

I made my way back to the sleeping tent I shared with Dionysus, with him following right behind me as he oversaw the preparations. I entered first, immediately taking a seat on one of the strewn cushions on the floor.

Once I had sat down and focused on the quiet air in the tent, I immediately started to think over what had been talked about during the conversation. I replayed all the words that had been said by the both of us, and thought over the questions that arose from them.

Most importantly, it was the question of why Dionysus seemed hesitant at the thought of turning me into an immortal. Did Dionysus not want me to be an immortal like him? The thought of it frightened me, and I could not help but worry over the assumptions that came with the thought of that prospect.

What if he had intended for it to be this way? What if he intended for me to grow old, so that I was no longer around him any longer? What if… What if…

NO! What was I thinking?! How could I even come up with such absurd assumptions such as that?! I had unintentionally thought badly of my husband, and I feel so very ashamed! I should be punished for even thinking like that, especially when I remembered that he had told me the most beautiful and truthful words of his from just now.

I think I would know the real reason why he had refused to answer my question. Quite, I knew that to turn someone into an immortal was indeed a very huge responsibility; even if I was a human, I understood the importance of it. And sometimes, it was unknown whether or not it was a wise decision.

Oh, how I was glad Dionysus was not able to read my foul thoughts about him. If not, then I would really feel so ashamed for belittling him…

Wait.

Where was Dionysus?

I snapped out of my long train of thought and started to look around the tent, finally letting the realization that I was still all alone in it seep into me. Where was my husband? He had been following closely behind me just a while ago when we were making our way back, but yet he was not inside?

I got up from the pillow I was sitting on and made my way outside. When I had gone through the tent flaps, I promptly scanned through the crowd of Dionysus' followers, looking out for him.

But I could not find him anywhere. He was not here.

"My lady!"

I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a young Maenad skipping towards me. I recognized the Maenad to be a youngling named Kyria, and I have interacted with her a few times. She was usually one of those in my retinue who would follow me to bathe or dance with me during our festivities.

Kyria came to a stop beside me, her face slightly flushed by, what I could only assume, wine. With a bubbling laugh in her voice, she told me, "My lady, my lord has left you a sudden message that he will not be here for a while!"

That piece of news immediately made me confused, and a slightly bit worried.

"Where has he gone off to?" I questioned her, feeling anxiety rise at the thought that my husband had just left for somewhere without telling me beforehand.

With a sudden smile, she exclaimed, "Off to Mount Olympus! Home of the gods! Swift-footed Hermes with the fancy sandals with wings arrived not long after you and my lord had returned! Says that my lord is needed in Mount Olympus immediately and without delay!"

I began to feel worried then. It had just been a while ago that Dionysus and I had the conversation of me becoming an immortal. Had that caused his sudden call to his true home? Would it be the very thing that could get him in trouble there? I could only hope not, and I prayed that nothing bad would happen to him.

"It seems that he is needed there for something important!" Kyria said cheerily as she twirled around me. "Flying Hermes says that the great and mighty Zeus called for him, which is why he is needed there immediately!"

The heavy feeling in my heart started becoming worse.

* * *

Dionysus

Ah, Mount Olympus.

Standing on the front courtyard after entering through the great golden gates, I gazed at the palace that was crafted entirely out of pure white marble and solid gold that shone in the light of the golden sun. Admiring it then brought a sense of nostalgia to my heart, and I wondered how long it had been since I had last been here. Probably, the last time I was here was a few years ago.

But my unexpected visit today was not one for relieving memories and admiring the home I had not been in for a long time. I knew that the true reason for my presence here today was a far more serious situation.

"Would you mind telling me why I am here?" I questioned Hermes for the umpteenth time as I followed him towards the palace.

Keeping his eyes focused on the path ahead of him, Hermes only sighed and answered, "You will find out soon enough, Dionysus."

* * *

Author's Note:

Uh-oh! Ariadne's dealing with some personal issues with her age, and Dionysus is suddenly called back to Mount Olympus? Was their conversation the sole reason for his sudden call, or will it be something else? Something far more serious?

Find out on the next chapter on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	24. PART 2: Chapter 4

_**Part 2: Chapter 4**_

Dionysus

I took in everything I saw as I made my way alongside Hermes through the brightly-lit corridors. All those that I had passed by – minor deities and servants – bowed down to me in respectful greeting, with some even welcoming back to Mount Olympus after my long absence.

While I smiled back and acknowledged their greetings, my mind was still heavy with many assumptions, all wondering about the reason of my presence here. I had absolutely no idea, but by the look on Hermes' face, which was serious and worried, I could only tell that it was not something good or it was something that needed to be brought to my attentions.

But what could it possibly be? Was I needed for something important? Had something happened in Mount Olympus that concerned me?

Or was I in trouble with something?

I remained mum, allowing myself to ponder on what I could do in those type of situations, when Hermes suddenly came to a stop after we took a turn and walked down a long corridor. I had been so distracted with my thoughts that I did not realize I had been blindly following him without knowing where we were.

I snapped out of my thoughts and took in my surroundings. At the end of the long corridor we had walked in, where we stood right now, stood a pair of tall and heavily-built golden doors that seemed to glow from the fire of the marble white hearths that stood at its sides. This particular set of doors was much more grander than the other golden doors that I had walked past a while ago.

But I knew why it was so.

This door was none other than the door of the council room of the Twelve Olympians.

Immediately, my curiosity became more aroused. Whatever were we doing here? What was needed here that involved me? I have not been to any of the council meetings as of recently. In fact, I think the last time I had been to a council meeting was a few years back. And I am not sure if there had been any meetings during my absence for I was not informed of such.

It has been a long time since I had attended an actual council meeting, so why now?

Before I could even question anything that popped up in my mind out of curiosity, the doors magically opened by themselves from the inside, as though it had sensed our presence and were allowing us access. When the doors had fully opened, Hermes walked ahead first, while I followed behind at an equal but slightly hesitant pace. When we had both entered, the doors closed by itself in our wake.

I then found myself in a room that was made entirely out of pale white marble as the rest of the palace, except the golden hearths that stood in different corners of the room, and the twelve golden thrones that sat atop twelve white marble daises in a circle in the center of the room.

Only ten of those thrones were occupied when we entered. Eleven now, since Hermes had gone away from my side, climbed a set of steps of the white marble dais of his throne, and took his seat.

That only remained one empty throne left.

My throne.

The rest of thrones were occupied by the other Olympians. As I walked to the circular space in the center of the circle of golden thrones, I took in the faces of all those who were present and seated around me. So many I have not seen in a long time, while the others are recent.

On my left, there were Apollo, Artemis, Athena and Poseidon. On my right, there were Hermes, Demeter, Hephaestus, Ares, Aphrodite, and Hera. The Queen looked at me with a clear look of disdain, to which I expertly ignored by casting my eyes away from her.

Ahead of the room, sitting beside his Queen Hera, sat my father Zeus, who sat in his extravagant golden throne in all his glory and majesty.

Every single one of them were looking at me in silence. All of them were waiting for something.

With a silent deep breath, I promptly walked up ahead and came to a stop a few feet in front of the foot of the dais which Zeus' throne stood upon. Immediately, I bowed to him in respect, greeting him steadily, "Hail Lord Zeus. And hail my Olympian brethren."

When I straightened up, my father bowed his head to me, a small smile visible on his lips. "Dionysus," he said my name warmly. "I welcome you back to Mount Olympus. It has indeed been a long time since you have been here."

I smiled back at him and shrugged, replying, "Indeed, it has. Well, I still have a lot to do to spread my name throughout the mortal lands and gain more followers in my practices. I guess I must have been too busy and have found no time to return to Mount Olympus, although I do intend to return here for permanence soon."

But just then, the look on Zeus' face changed. His expression changed into a more solemn and serious one, looking at me with serious and criticizing eyes. I became silent and still under his gaze, feeling the weight of it burden my shoulders. I became uneasy then, wondering why was it the reason of my presence was the reason for the look on his face.

Silently, he raised his hand and gestured it to the empty golden throne in between Hermes and Demeter's. I knew then that he was telling me to go and take a seat in my throne, and I obediently did so. When I took my seat, I experienced the familiar but foreign feel of sitting here, among the council of the Twelve Olympians.

When I had taken my seat on my own throne, the very throne that had been given to me by my aunt Hestia, Zeus said in a sombre tone of voice, "I suppose you are wondering why you have been called here, Dionysus."

Meeting his eyes, I replied truthfully, "Yes. Yes, I do."

"Well," he began. "The reason is, unfortunately, something dire and serious. We had faced serious and severe issues in the mortal lands just of recent, and it all traced to you. It had come to my attention that you had initiated quite a serious and problematic act, and it is only now that it reaches the light of my attentions. I had mistakenly let your deed go on quietly for quite too long. It is time for me to acknowledge this to you."

I remained quiet, only staring back at him. I need not ask him what he meant by his words. I knew all too well already.

Zeus then turned his attentions to Apollo, and gestured silently with a look for him to stand. My half-brother promptly did so, and then looked at the faces of everyone present, his gaze lingering on mine especially. With a serious and no-nonsensical expression, he began to speak.

"I have seen through the Sun of what happens in Argos. In the land, women are turned mad and hysterical, running around in a crazed frenzy as they shriek at the top of their voices and tear their clothes from the bodies to reveal their bare forms. The induced madness that they suffer from has caused them to be sick in the mind, and have prompted them to commit murder."

At the mention of the last word, the air in the room became tenser.

Apollo continued on in his steady voice. "These mad women wield knives and any other sharp and dangerous objects in their hands as they run. They attack men, slashing them across the chests and trampling in a dance over their dying bodies. But not only do the men suffer, but the newborn children of the land as well. These babes suffer a more deadly fate, as they are killed by being eaten by these maddened females. Infants who are barely of age are consumed alive by their mothers whose breasts they were feeding from."

With a heavy and stressful sigh, Apollo told the whole council with a hard edge in his voice, "For the past few days, I hear the cries of the people of Argos. Men screaming in agony, infants crying in pain, and women laughing in hysterics. The few who are still sane had sought refuge within the walls of the palace of Argos, and they pray to us to lift this horrible curse off their lands. Alas, we cannot do anything about this, for it is a work of Dionysus' abilities."

Finally, he directed his blue-eyed gaze to me, and I could finally see the anger that dwelt within the pair.

"Be ashamed of what you had done, Dionysus. It is because of your heinous act that you had also brought troubles to us here. For the past few days, fathers pray that their infant children would be safe from their impending cruel fate of being consumed by their cannibalistic mothers. Artemis and I had felt obliged to answer their prayers, for we are the deities who hold patronage over children – she over the females while I over the males. But we cannot do so, for it is a work of your hand. Both she and I agree that you must put an end to this, or we will take action against you."

Everyone's eyes immediately shifted to me, looking at me with accusation that I am the cause of what was happening in Argos right now. While I could feel myself tensing under their scrutinizing gazes, I willed myself to ignore them, and also maintain a mutual look on my face to not allow them to see the fear I felt inside.

My gaze shifted from Apollo to Artemis, who was sitting on the throne on his right. A stark contrast from the angered and hard look on her brother's face, Artemis' was of cool calmness. But when her midnight blue eyes – another stark contrast to her younger twin brother's sky blue eyes – met my eyes, they held just the faintest amount of guilt.

_You would abide to his words?_I spoke to her in my thoughts, knowing that she could hear the words that were intended for her.

Her gaze remained fixed on mine and her expression softened as she replied mentally in a very remorseful tone of voice, _I'm very sorry… I know I had been the one that had suggested to you to take action… But I had not known that it would end up like this… I would have to agree, Dionysus… The children need my help, and I cannot let their cries go unheard because of what you did…_

I could not say that I was angry or disappointed at Artemis. Truthfully, it if had been her in my situation, I knew that she would surely take action to those who commit hubris against her. But I also knew that my actions had caused a distress upon her, and many others who were present in this room. Her decision to go against me now was only based on duty, and that was why I could not blame her. If it had been me, I would have done the same.

_I truly am sorry, Dionysus…_Artemis continued to say in my thoughts. _I am sorry that all this had to happen to you…_

With no other words to say to her, I only nodded my head in understanding, my gaze casted downwards in deep thought. But it was then pulled to my uncle Poseidon, who was now speaking to me.

"Furthermore, nephew, your curse had caused the people of Argos to throw the bodies of the dead women into sea!" he complained loudly in a haughty manner. "Dare they disrespect my ocean?! I should send a flood to wash them off their evil!"

Before he could continue on with his rambling, Hera snapped at him in response. "Cease your foolish talk, Poseidon!" she said venomously. "The city of Argos is _my_sacred city, and I should be the one who is most angered by these terrible events!"

And then, her glare shifted over to me, and her look of disdain and anger deepened as she spoke in a voice that was as poisonous as venom and as hard as steel, "It should be _he_ who pays dearly for his crimes against what is mine, and should be punished for inflicting such diseases upon _my_lands."

I could feel a slight burning of loathe from deep within me at the fact that wrathful Hera would never let go of the grudge she has against me, and that I know she would revel in glee at the prospect of me being punished. I could feel my grip on the armrests of my throne tightening, trying to maintain my cool.

Thankfully, Zeus intervened then, saying to his wife in firm disapproval and warning, "Hera, we are _not_here to sentence Dionysus to punishment. We are having this council meeting now to address the problem that he had caused in Argos, and to have him find a way to end this himself."

A loud clearing of throat brought all our attentions to Hermes, who was standing up from his throne. "If I may, Lord Zeus, I have an important message to relay to Dionysus."

"Granted," Zeus said, gesturing for him to go on.

Once he knew he had my attentions, Hermes told me, "Dionysus, I bear a message for you from Perseus, King of Argos."

At the mention of that name, I froze.

"I think that this is a matter that deserves the attentions of all of us here," he explained seriously, before getting to the point. "Perseus says that he will not let your deed go by idly, and he will not let his people suffer at your hands. In proclamation to Mount Olympus, he challenges you."

I inclined my head to the side, looking at Hermes in complete curiosity. "He challenges me to… what, exactly?" I questioned, feeling strain in my voice as I tried hard to contain the anger and tension within me.

Everyone looked at Hermes in anticipation, waiting for the reason. Hermes looked at each and every one of us in the eye, making sure that he had all our attentions. It seemed that what he was about to say was so interesting and important that the others must know of it as well.

With a deep breath, he finally said what.

"Perseus had decided to wage war against you."

His words suddenly created a sudden uproar of shock and outrage within the room. The other Olympians started talking to themselves and others in mumbles, questioning what the meaning of such was.

However, only one voice stood out from the rest, loud and angry it sounded the minute Hermes had said what was said.

"What foolishness is this?!" Ares growled in menace. My older half-brother, with stark blood red hair and piercing grey eyes that were fixed in a permanent scowl, banged his tightly-clenched fist on the armrest of his throne, most certainly not taking the piece of information well. "Dare a blasted mortal challenge one of us?! I say good thing that his city is in ruins for his foul words! That will teach him a lesson that _his _foul insolence will not be taken lightly!"

Hera, the mother of the God of War, shouted in angry response, "Did you not hear and listen to what I had just said, my foolish and ignorant son?! The city of Argos is _my _city! Despite the land being ruled by one of many your father's bastards, it is still mine! No one shall speak ill of it, or condemn it to further destruction!"

Her statement was then argued by Poseidon, who loudly proclaimed haughtily, "But still! A half-blood daring to decree war upon a full-blood? Either this Perseus is someone who thinks too highly of himself, or someone who is so foolish that he plans to court death!"

In response, Apollo argued against our uncle's claim. "Although I find it true that Perseus deserves punishment, may we not forget that the city of Argos is in peril? Mortals are praying every single day – with every passing hour, minute and second – for our aid and are waiting for us to answer, but we cannot do so until this matter has been settled. With every count of time that passes, more deaths occur, and they become desperate!"

I expected someone else to jump in and argue or support his claim afterwards, but any further discussion was quickly stopped abolished when Zeus suddenly banged his tightly-clenched fist on the armrest of his throne and shouted loudly in command.

"**SILENCE!**"

In an instant, everything became silent. The fires that were burning in the strategically-placed hearths flickered suddenly from the invisible force of Zeus' voice, and the air became thicker with tension and anticipation of what was to come. The argument suddenly died down into a deafening silence.

I, like all the others in the room, kept my eyes fixed on him. He was looking angrily into the eyes of everyone else in the room, his eyes clearly showing all signs of irritation and annoyance at the sudden conflict just a few seconds ago. But then, his sights came to a stop on me, looking at me with so much intensity that I could feel myself getting uncomfortable all over again.

"What I would like to know," he began, his firm and hard eyes still holding mine, "is how all of this mess had started. I will not let this debate continue until I myself have the basis of the story, which I can get from none other than Dionysus himself. Only then can I come up with the final decision."

He then let out a low sigh, to relieve him of the tense anger and annoyance he felt inside. His storm grey eyes were much calmer now, though still holding that bit of tension within them. With a wave of his hand, he said, "Go on, Dionysus. Tell."

Obediently, but with a quiet sigh under my breath, I stood up from my throne and whetted my tongue to prepare for the story I had for them.

And so I told them about everything. I told them about having found out that Perseus had banned my rituals and practices in Argos (they did not ask how I found out, so I did not mention Artemis), because he did not condone the madness and ecstasy that my rites supported and created. I told them of how he decreed that I was not a true god, but a fraud. I explained to them how, as a result of his words, my temples became desolate and was slowly being abandoned, my devout followers were seen as outcasts by the majority who agreed with the King, and of how the people of Argos were beginning to lose faith in my identity as a true god.

With every word I spoke, I spoke with a hidden fire of anger and tension that had been building up since I had first heard of this incident from Artemis, to the time I had placed the curse upon the women of Argos just a week back, until now when I heard from Hermes that Perseus intended to settle our conflict in a decreed battle. While I maintained my composure, the fire inside me felt like it could become too out of control any minute now, and I was afraid that even I would not be able to control it.

When I had ended my words, I took a deep breath of air before I acknowledged the other Olympians with a question.

"Do you think that what I am doing now is wrong? Can you not see the reason behind my actions? Can you not see that it is I who is not entirely to blame?"

Everybody had been silent and attentive as they listened to my words. But nobody said a word in response. All of them remained silent. However, they turned their heads to Zeus, waiting to hear what he had to say about all this.

But Zeus only eyed me with a decisive and contemplating expression in his eyes, and an uncomfortable feeling inside told me that he was not convinced enough, and that he could not see the reason.

And if he did not see reason, I knew that I had landed myself in some serious trouble as consequences for my actions.

_This is it…_I thought to myself in dismay. _I am done for…_

* * *

Author's Note:

Sorry it had to end on a _slight _cliffhanger guys! I needed to build up the tension for the next chapter.

But anyway, it seems that Dionysus had landed himself in a serious dilemma that he could cause him to have to face the severe consequences from the council of the Olympians! Everybody seems to be pitting against him, and it looks like he might not have a way out!

Will the odds be in Dionysus' favor?

Find out in the next chapter on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	25. PART 2: Chapter 5

_**Part 2: Chapter 5**_

Ariadne

From the throne I sat upon, I listened to the loud and merry music that was being played, and quietly watched the thiasus partake in the excitement and ecstasy of the feast. All were drinking, laughing, dancing, singing and mating; enjoying themselves to their heart's content and liberated of the stress that plagued their minds.

But as I cradled the half-empty chalice of wine between my fingers, I could not join them, for I was having too many burdening thoughts of what my husband must be going through right now.

The thought of not knowing what was happening to him and what was to come frightened me greatly.

Resting at my feet, my leopard nudged its head against my leg. I slid my eyes away from the sight of the revelry to it, and immediately met its shining brown eyes which were looking at me in concern. I felt my lips tilt into a half-hearten smile as I bent down to caress its head. It purred in content, rubbing its head even more against my leg as a show of mutual affection.

My attentions were suddenly pulled away when I heard high and shrill voices shouting my name.

"Lady Ariadne! Join us, Lady Ariadne!" shouted a group of young Maenads that were dancing wildly in a circle in front of me.

Kyria, who was among the dancers, broke out from her place in the circle to come up to me. She took my hands in hers – making the chalice fall to the ground and spilling the half-drunken wine in it, alarming my leopard that reacted in shock – and gently tried to pull me away as she exclaimed in drunken laughter, "Come, Lady Ariadne! This is not a night where you should sit down on your throne and watch! Dance and drink with us!"

Despite feeling the strong urge to follow them and enjoy myself to forget about my qualms, I politely pulled my hands away and stayed seated.

"Um, no… It is alright…" I told them meekly, but then feeling embarrassed by the strange looks that Kyria and the other Maenads were giving me. Strange to think that, despite being the Queen of the Bacchic revelries, I was still bashful of such looks of strangeness that I received from others.

Thankfully, I was not met with scornful reaction. Instead, Kyria asked me with a curious expression that held just a smidgen of concern, "Are you thinking about Lord Dionysus, Lady Ariadne? Wondering what is going on in the great Mount Olympus?"

With a sigh, I nodded my head. "Yes," I admitted to her truthfully. "I'm just afraid something might happen to him."

Seeming to want to comfort me, Kyria took my hand back in hers and held onto it gently, just as another Maenad picked up the fallen chalice and filled it up with rich reddish-purple wine before offering it back to me. I took it with thanks, just as Kyria exclaimed in comfort with a giddy smile, "It's okay, m'lady! I'm sure that Lord Dionysus is fine!"

I could only smile at her reassurance, grateful that she was trying her best to cheer me up. But deep inside, I was still feeling troubled with worry.

* * *

Dionysus

I was about to accept defeat and prepare myself to face the consequences that were to come.

But just then, a voice spoke up immediately, breaking through the silence that had ensued once I had ceased my tongue. It was as though she knew that I was at a losing end, and was coming in quickly to save me.

"Lord Zeus, I agree with Dionysus," Artemis announced steadfastly as she stood from her throne.

Everyone's attentions turned to her immediately, with mine included. Her eyes found mine then, and although her dark pair was calm and neutral to the eyes of the others, I could see the look of reassurance and helpfulness within them. Artemis gave me just a hint of a smile, to tell me 'It's alright because I am with you' before becoming neutral expression once again as she looked away.

Zeus was clearly quipped with interest as to why Artemis, of all people in this very council room we were in right now, would be the one to suddenly speak her opinion. Most people would think of her as the last person to agree with anything I would say, and I could see that our father was clearly one of them.

"State why this is so, Artemis," he said to her.

Without a moment's hesitation, Artemis spoke aloud with confidence, "My fellow Olympians. Do you not see that what Dionysus is doing would also be something that we would have done? To lay mishap upon a lower being who dares insult us; is that not the natural thing we would have done? Why should we not bring punishment upon a being that so blatantly think that they could speak ill of us and get away with it? Such foolish pride they have to dare even think of insulting an Olympian!"

She turned her head to the left to look at Apollo, asking him, "My brother, do you not remember your conflict with the satyr Marsyas, who dared to challenge you to a competition of music? And when you won easily, for you are the great God of Music himself, did you not punish him for his insolence by having him flayed alive, skinned of his hide, and nailed by you to a pine tree?"

Apollo looked at his sister with conflicting eyes, but I knew that he himself could not deny that what she was saying was right. Seeing him being struck by Artemis' words made me swell in pride, for I was glad he had deserved some form of comeuppance for the way he spoke to me a while ago.

When Apollo did not answer – but everyone knew that it was the truth –, Artemis then turned to Aphrodite, and asked, "And what of Cenchreis, mother of Myrrha? Aphrodite, you yourself cursed her when she proclaimed that her own daughter's beauty was one that was far more greater than yours, by having Myrrha be consumed with never-ending lust for her own father Cinryas and initiate a sexual affair with him."

Aphrodite scowled at the mention of the name 'Cenchreis' and haughtily replied in annoyance and irritation, "The wench deserved it. Good for her to suffer the sting of infidelity, and the pain of knowing that her husband's mistress was none other than her own daughter herself."

After that, Artemis turned to Athena, and said confidently, "And you yourself, Athena, had experienced such a thing. Recall Arachne, the foolish mortal girl who dared to proclaim and boast that her skills in weaving were far more greater than yours. After you had challenged her to a competition of weaving, you had cursed her to spend the rest of her sorry days as an insignificant spider, did you not?"

Athena remained neutral-faced as she heard Artemis' words. My older half-sister had always been capable to keep serious at every moment, and now was no different. But I could tell from her eyes that she was listening to what Artemis was saying and was taking it into thought.

And then, she said openly, "I myself will say that I have punished many who so daringly proclaim that their skills in hunting surpass that of my own, and also those who dare to violate the wildlands of which I rule as its goddess and caretaker. And I always make sure that their punishment would be harsh, to equate for the insolence they had committed against me."

Finally, Artemis spoke to address the whole council who were listening attentively to her words. "You see, my fellow Olympians. Dionysus' case is not a real genuine one, because we all have, at one point in time, had lower beings that dare to commit hubris against us, and we would always lay punishment upon them for their deed. It is a common thing for all of us. So why should we single out just Dionysus at this moment? What's more, a half-blood dares to threaten to wage war against him! Is that reason not enough?"

Everyone continued to remain silent, and I studied each and every one of their faces. All of them looked to be in deep thought, their minds thinking over all the words that Artemis had confidently delivered. I could see it in their eyes that they found truth in her words, and were beginning to have second thoughts about having me punished.

But just then, Hera suddenly spoke up with a tone of voice that was heavy with skepticism, "But do not forget that it is Dionysus' curse that caused the entire city of Argos to start to fall into ruin. It is a dire consequence upon the innocent lives that had no part to play in the conflict between him and Perseus. It is a result of his actions, and that we cannot simply ignore."

I scowled internally, thinking angrily to myself how it was so expected of Hera to try to find reason to prove that the entire thing was indeed my fault and heighten my chances of receiving punishment. How she would do anything to see me get in trouble!

However, Artemis seemed to have caught on to Hera's intentions. Looking at the Queen right in the eye, she confidently said, "Dionysus had no intention for the land of the city of Argos to suffer under the curse. He had placed it on just the women, and no one else. It is the mortals themselves who had harmed the lands by their own hands. They could have chosen not to, but they did."

Artemis took her seat then, having finished all that she had wanted to say. Hera opened her mouth, as to say something, but then she slowly shut it back. The pride in me swelled until it seemed to overwhelm my entire form when I saw that the Queen could not come up with any other argument.

I sighed discretely in relief that Artemis had come to my aid in the nick of time, and she must have saved me from some serious trouble.

Zeus, who had been quiet listening in attentiveness to Artemis' words, stroked his bearded jaw in careful thought as he said, "I can see very well now that Dionysus' actions had indeed been one of reason, and not of careless impulsiveness."

And then, he sat back in his seat, continuing to look deep in thought as he pointed out, "But he would still have to do something about Perseus. The demigod must be shown punishment for his crime of committing hubris, and Dionysus must do something about him that will not do harm to the entire city of Argos."

Ares did not like this idea very much. "But the action of a king would be the action of the entire city! I say that Dionysus should lay waste upon the land!"

His suggestion was only met with a look of heavy disapproval by Zeus and a look of menacing anger by Hera. The others – save for Aphrodite – eyed him hard, not seeing eye-to-eye with his wish for more destruction. To be honest, I myself did not really completely oppose to the idea. Although I knew that I did not wish to cause more harm upon Argos than necessary, the thought of destroying it just to teach Perseus a lesson really did tempt me.

But in the end, it was the side of me – most probably the 'human' side of me – that settled for no further violence that won.

It was at that moment that Athena, who had been silent throughout the entire exchange from the very start as she listened carefully and attentively to the words that were being said and exchanged, spoke up.

"Let us all not be fools and be so impulsive to do _that_," she said with a tone of haughtiness that was directed solely towards Ares. "I have come up with a solution to solve this dilemma."

"Ah, then speak, wise Athena," Zeus said with a relieved smile, obviously glad that his favorite daughter and most trusted adviser had finally spoken. "Enlighten us on what you suggest we do to curb this situation."

Athena stood up from her seat, and said without a moment's hesitation but with utter confidence, "I suggest that Dionysus accepts Perseus' challenge without hesitance."

A few audible gasps could be heard from here and there, shock at the wise Athena's strange words. All of us had, of course, expected words of wisdom and strategy to flow from her voice, but indeed it was strange to hear her speak words that mirrored that of Ares'.

Before anyone could ask her if she had lost her mind and such, Athena continued on without even a single hitch in her voice.

"However, limit the expanse of this challenge from a full-out war to just a personal duel between the both of you. The people of the city of Argos had nothing to do with the conflict, and thus there is no reason for them to be part of it now. Furthermore, this could save so many lives, of both the people of Argos and the followers of Dionysus."

Hearing that, many of the rest hummed in agreement, seemingly glad that Athena did not actually have the mind-set of Ares and that she was able to come up with a wise – and admittingly good – idea.

Athena maintained the neutral and nonchalant expression on her face as she continued speaking.

"Also, I suggest that Dionysus ask for something out of this fight if he were to win. Bearing in mind that Perseus did indeed commit hubris against him, the demigod must of course submit to anything he says if he lost. But do not take this duel as a way of getting revenge, Dionysus. Treat this as a noble act to protect your name and rites, to show Perseus that you would not be so very petty as he was when he decreed war upon you. But if you were to succeed, you should release the citizens of Argos from the curse, to give them reason to think of you as a fair and merciful god."

Athena sat back down on her throne, just as Demeter said, "I would agree with Athena. It is best to take this battle of conflict as a noble pursuit, to prove your right as a true god."

"I agree with Athena as well," Hermes said.

"As do I," Hephaestus added.

Poseidon, Artemis, Apollo and Aphrodite spoke of their agreements to the plan as well, and that left Ares and Hera who so clearly disagreed with it.

"I still say that we should settle this problem right here once and for all," Hera complained in annoyance, her murderous glare locked on me.

"And I say that Perseus and his precious city should be in ruins for his crimes!" Ares exclaimed demandingly, annoyed at the fact that everyone else was agreeing to his rival's idea.

Zeus was clearly unimpressed by the reasons of his wife and son, for he simply ignored them and declared, "Then it is decided. Dionysus will travel to Argos and face Perseus in a duel, and will also demand for compensation if he were to reign victorious. And the people of Argos would ultimately be released from their troubles."

I did not do anything to disagree with the declaration because I myself completely agree to it. Athena's idea did in fact seem good. I knew I could handle a duel between myself and a demigod, and it would certainly help to save more lives. I had lost quite a number of followers during the war with the Indians, and I most certainly do not want to lose any more ever again.

However, the thought of once again engaging in battle was starting to make me feel heavy on the inside; completely from dread and anxiety. And maybe the thought of not knowing what was the outcome of this upcoming duel that contributed to my growing heaviness. I do not know what I might gain out of it, or what I might lose in the process.

Zeus called out for Hermes, and my half-brother promptly stood up from his throne as our father commanded, "Send word to Perseus of our final decision, and advise him to prepare for his upcoming duel to Dionysus. I want this to be a fair fight between the both of them. But if he does not comply and does anything in retaliation, bring back word to us."

Hermes bowed down his head, saying, "Understood, Lord Zeus. I shall proceed to Argos immediately."

It was then the others had stood up from their thrones. In a late second because I was still quite deep in thought, I immediately shot up from my seat, standing with the others in respect as Zeus bowed his head to end this council meeting before walking down the steps of his dais and walking out of the room first.

One by one, the others trailed out of the room, and I waited for everyone else to leave before I got down from my dais and exited last. When I was very sure that everyone had gone their separate ways and no one would see where I was going, I followed the way Artemis had left because she was the only person I wanted to see right now.

She had left the council room alongside Apollo, but she was alone when I caught up her walking down one of the corridors. Thank Mount Olympus.

I called out to her immediately, and she turned to face me. When I was standing in front of her, I said graciously, "Thank you, for coming to my aid. Zeus would have placed a heavy punishment upon me if it had not been for you."

I took Artemis' hand in mine and brought it to my lips to place a small kiss on her knuckles, as a way to show her how absolutely thankful I was for what she had done. Athena may have come up with the plan to my predicament, but Artemis was the one who saved my skin from trouble in the first place.

Artemis accepted it without word, not making any form of refusal as I gave her my thanks. "It is not a problem, Dionysus," she said. "I'm just glad that something had been thought up to face this issue."

"As am I," I sighed in relief, managing a small smile to come to my lips. "Now all I have to do is just face Perseus in a duel, and win."

But then, I noticed her eyes being clouded with a troubled expression. She looked at me in deep thought, clearly being bothered by something that was going on in her head.

Gulping down an uncomfortable lump that was starting to form in my throat, I asked, "What are you thinking?"

Artemis let out a long and heavy sigh that she had clearly been holding in, before asking, "How do you think Ariadne would react to this?"

The burdening feeling that had been harbored from deep within my gut became very unbearable at this very moment at the thought of Ariadne. For the past while, she had not been on the forefront of my mind, having been pushed aside by thoughts of Perseus, getting in trouble as a consequence, and having to travel to Argos to challenge him in a fight to prove my rights as a god.

Most unfortunately, Artemis was quick to detect the hesitance that suddenly overcame me, and she frowned in suspicion as she looked at me hard in the eye. "Dionysus, you did tell Ariadne about all this, didn't you?" she questioned me.

I did not answer, ashamed of the truth.

"Dionysus," she said my name in a mixture of a groan of annoyance and a sigh of frustration, looking at me deep in the eye in disappointment. Artemis shook her head, saying in exasperation, "Ariadne cannot _not _now about this. What would she think of?"

I turned my head away from here, feeling completely shameful and afraid for not telling my wife about this. It was true; I had not told Ariadne about any of this at all since the very beginning I heard about it from Artemis. I had placed the curse upon the women of Argos without the knowledge of my wife, and had kept it a secret from her.

From Artemis' question, I was very sure that overall, once Ariadne had found out, she would be absolutely furious.

Lean, spidery fingers took hold of my chin firmly yet gently, turning my head so that I was once again facing my older half-sister. I could not look away from her eyes which were boring into mine. In her midnight blue orbs, there was still disappointment, but there was also reassurance.

With a sigh, Artemis told me calmly, "Dionysus, you have to tell her. She needs to know."

Oh, but I do plan to tell her. With every feeling of dread and anxiety that burdened my heart at the thought, I will most certainly tell her.

* * *

Author's Note:

A serious and unhealthy haze of smoke is now clouding over Singapore, having been caused by many heavy forest fires in Indonesia. It is so thick that we can't see things outside clearly, and it irritates the eyes and causes coughing fits; it was even worse for those with asthma and breathing problems. The main problem is that it makes the whole country entirely hot no matter what time it was or where were you (I'm serious... it's 12.26 am here and I'm sweating like hell right now in my bedroom, which has the air-conditioner turned on at FULL BLAST) and the smell is horrible (the 'lovely' scent of ash, smoke and chemicals...)

Apparently, its the worse haze we had in years. As a result, I, along with many others, have been advised to stay inside until it passes. So, unable to spend my vacation outside, I stayed inside and continuously watched The Avengers, BBC Sherlock and The Hobbit (ugh, so many fangirl feels T~T)...

And I completely forgot to complete this chapter, which had just been finished up about a minute before publication on this website.

Seriously guys. This haze is seriously getting to me right now. I don't mind having my vision fogged up, but its the heat I can't stand. Singapore's already a hot place on its own before, but now it feels like I'm being cooked alive in a baking oven. I can't go a few seconds without sweating. As a result, I can't get the mood and the drive to do things.

But thank goodness I managed to finish this chapter. At least it helped to distract me for a while. I don't even know if it's good, but it's the best I can do right now.

So see you on Friday, guys. Sorry if I seem like a drag today :(

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	26. PART 2: Chapter 6

**_Part 2: Chapter 6_**

Ariadne

While the revelry was still going on strongly, I distanced from it and kept to myself in my sleeping tent, trying to do some needlework to keep me distracted from my bothersome and worrisome thoughts. When I was younger, I always did needlework to keep me distracted and busy, and the habit still stuck to me even until now.

I was about to complete my stitching of an intricate flower design when my husband suddenly passed through the entrance flaps and entered the tent.

"Dion!" I exclaimed his name in a sudden wave of surprise and relief, flinging the cloth in my hands away to wherever on the floor as I scrambled onto my feet to approach him.

Cupping his face with both my hands, I asked in a rush, "Why did you leave without telling me? I was so worried about you. What happened in Mount Olympus? Why were you suddenly called there?"

I was so filled with the sudden want to know, with so many questions starting to pop up in my mind. But Dionysus did not answer to any of my questions. Instead, he gently gripped my arms and, looking at me right in the eye, said, "I need you to listen to what I have to say to you. I am going to tell you things that I have not been telling you; things that I had kept a secret from you. But I need you to not ask anything while I speak. Do you understand, Ariadne?"

It was the alarm at the heavily serious tone of his voice that made me seal my lips. I immediately deduced that there was something – a great something – that was troubling him immensely, telling from the signs of doubt, anxiety, fear and frustration that crowded in his dark hazel eyes.

Keeping silent, I nodded my head, giving him my silence and consent to allow him to speak without interruption.

The minutes passed on as we both sat on our sleeping mats and Dionysus started telling me all that he had hidden from me.

He told me of the actions of hubris that Perseus – who I knew, from tales, was the great and legendary slayer of the fearsome and horrifying gorgon Medusa and the ferocious and deadly sea monster Cetus, the husband of Princess Andromeda of Aethiopia, who he had saved from Cetus that had initially received her as a sacrifice, and the current King of Argos – had committed towards him by banning his rituals and practices and proclaimed that he was not a true god. Dionysus admitted to me that he had placed a curse of madness upon the women of Argos, and it had proven to be very effective. But his actions had brought trouble upon the other Olympians, who had ordered his presence for the council meeting that was held earlier on to decide what must be done to curb this problem. And he told me that Perseus had declared war upon him, and that Athena had advised him to limit it to a sole duel between him and the demigod.

Finally, he told me that he had to leave for Argos to face Perseus.

When he had finished his words, I still remained silent, absorbing in every single thing that he had just confessed to me about.

So many emotions were running through me at this very moment. To name a few were confusion, disbelief, anger, outrage, denial and frustration; all mixed up together into a heaviness that was anchoring my heart. I absolutely could not believe all that Dionysus had just admitted to me; not because I did not think it was true – there was no doubt that it was indeed true – but because I could not believe that he had kept a secret from me.

"Please say something…" he whispered anxiously after a few moments of silence had passed. "Anything… Please…"

Taking a deep breath and blinking away my bouts of confusion, I maintained a steady voice as I questioned him, "Why did you not tell me about this sooner? Why did you have to keep it a secret from me?"

Dionysus bowed his head in shame, his dark locks of hair falling over his eyes. "I did not think that it would have become this serious," he quietly admitted to me. "I did not foresee it to become a bigger problem from the beginning. I thought that it would pass fleetingly. That was why I decided that it was not that important of an issue to inform you."

Hearing that made the anger I felt start to heat up, causing me to exclaim in frustration, "This _is_ serious, Dionysus! Somebody dared to threaten you, and you placed a curse upon his people. And now you are in trouble with the rest of the Olympians and are told to engage Perseus in combat!"

I breathed in deep, rapid breaths when I finished, feeling the frantic beating of my heart in my chest. My eyes were starting to sting and water, due to the frustration and anger that was building up within me.

"This is not something you should have kept from me," I exclaimed breathlessly, feeling all sense of calm leaving me. "Now I am here, overwhelmed at the news that you had brought to my ears. You best be lucky that I did not have a panic attack, or else!"

Dionysus looked at me with guilty eyes, which he shut when it seemed that he could no longer bear to look at me. As if that was not enough, he turned his head to the side, averting the direction of his face away from me.

And it was then he whispered in a quiet voice, "I am so sorry, Ariadne…"

Hearing the shame and guilt that was heavy in his voice seemed to have changed something in me, for I found that I could no longer be angry at him.

Yes, I still was not happy at the fact that he did not tell me anything, but I mostly felt pitiful because he had to take part in a fight that he did not choose to want in the first place. The situation had clearly gotten out of his control, and now he was once again forced into combat despite still recovering from the battle of the Indians from just a week ago.

Sighing, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his slightly larger frame, holding him in a gentle embrace. His own arms were quick to wrap around me just as gently.

Turning my head so that my lips touched his ear, I whispered, "I'm going with you to Argos."

My words affected him like the shock of a lightning bolt, and he immediately pulled away to look at me with wide eyes. "No, Ariadne," he told me in a quavering voice. "I do not want you to involve yourself in this. This is not your fight; it is mine. This is the consequence that only I must face."

I immediately frowned at his excuse, not liking the words that he had chosen to say. I made sure that the disapproval I felt was clear on my face, and I was successful. Dionysus immediately ceased anything more, but continued to look at me questioningly.

I brought my hand to trace my fingertips against his cheek, feeling how soft and silky his skin was. I could feel my frown slowly disappear, knowing that I cannot have such a look at a time when he clearly needed my support.

Letting out another heavy sigh, I told him, "I am your wife, Dionysus. We share together in everything, including burdens. Whatever are your burdens are mine too. And we are bound together by Fate, and we had sworn, to always be there for each other. I am only upholding my vows as your wife, and I am not willing to leave your side when you are about to face something like this. I want to be there for you. I want to be by your side, and help you in any way that I can."

In silence, Dionysus lifted his hand to place it over mine that was cupping his cheek. Immediately, the warmth of the soft velvety skins of both his hand and his cheek enveloped my hand, and I could not help but let out a sigh of content at the feel.

He then pulled his hand away to wrap his arms around me once again, pulling me back into another embrace. His arms tightened gently around my frame, pressing me softly to his strong and warm chest. My own hands traveled upwards to grip onto his built shoulders, wanting to clutch me to him as well.

"Whatever it is, I'm here for you, alright?" I told him reassuringly with a small smile that I was able to manage. "I will always be here for you, my love."

I could feel his breath on the side of my neck with his pressing into my hair. In a muffled voice, he whispered, "Thank you so much, my dear wife… Thank you so much…"

I responded by turning my head to his side and giving a kiss to his cheek, to show him that I really would hold to my words.

* * *

Dionysus

From where I stood on the top of the dais, I took in deep and heavy breaths of air, listening to the loud roar of outrage and anger that rippled through my thiasus after they had heard what I told them.

In unison, all of them shouted in complete and utter rage of Perseus' insolence and chanted that he should be killed for his crimes against me. If I had been one of them, I would have easily agreed with all of them without hesitation.

But despite the fact that Athena's plan did not actually say whether I could or could not kill Perseus in our duel, I knew by logic that I _shouldn't_. That was because I was still bearing in mind that Perseus was one of Zeus' favorite demigod sons, since he made his name known throughout the mortal lands by performing great feats and being a hero. Even if I killed him without a damn (something that Ares might probably do, considering that he does not give a single damn to any of our father's other children – myself included), Zeus would probably have my head for it.

So, I swore to myself that I would leave the demigod alive, but I will make sure that he suffered complete humility once I was done with him.

Sucking in another deep breath, I shouted in firm anger at the top of my voice, "**My loyal followers! I will not let this insolence of a half-blood go on! I will show him that I am not as false as he believes! And I will show him what it happens when he dares to insult me! I will engage him in combat, and reign victorious! This, I swear!**"

Everyone cheered together, chanting my name loudly as a show of support. Some raised their glasses full of wine and other sorts of alcohol to me as they sang of me going into battle against Perseus and emerging victorious.

Wanting to reward them for their show of support, I called for wine to be continuously pouring, which insinuated a cry of ecstasy and excitement coursing through them.

At my command, wine started pouring once again, and everyone drank deeply to fuel their body that had blood coursing rapidly through their veins because of the ambiance of the revelry and the certain thought that I will take down Perseus and prove myself.

A Maenad handed my own chalice of rich dark red wine, and I immediately drank fervently, feeling stray trails of the delicious drink spilling from the corners of my lips and dropping from the point of my chin to my tunic or the dais below my feet. When I had emptied the chalice of its content in one go, I pulled away the cup from my lips and raised it high, as a show of confidence and determination.

But while my ears were listening to the screams and cries of excitement and the repeated unified chants of my name, my eyes slid to the side to look at Ariadne, who was standing a few feet to the side of me on the dais.

Unlike the others, she was not as lively or as outraged. Instead, she was simply standing in silence with her arms crossed loosely in front of her chest, her grey-green eyes looking at me with a mix of concern, worry, anxiety, and fear.

I could feel my heart skipping a beat as the same emotions started running through me as well.

* * *

Perseus

I stared at the young blond and green-eyed god who was standing in front of my throne of which I sat upon. Meanwhile, my mind was slowly processing the words that he had just said to me; a message that certainly shook me.

"Do you jest, Hermes?" I questioned, my gaze on him unwavering.

Hermes maintained the look of neutral nonchalance on his beautiful facial features as he calmly replied, "Why, pray tell, would you think I am jesting, when I had clearly just said that I had come here, standing before you and relaying you the message, upon the orders of great Zeus?"

Letting out a breath that I did not realize I had been holding in, I commented skeptically, "So Dionysus _is_ brave to accept my challenge. Huh. I thought he would be too busy getting drunk and psychotic to even realize that I had intended to engage him in combat."

A look passed over Hermes' face for a short second; a fleeting look of annoyance or irritation of such. But he maintained his calm composure immediately before it could fully come into light, and simply replied, "Like the other gods, Dionysus' ears are very sharp to listen to those who speak insult of him. These sorts of things are clear to him, even in a drunken state."

"Hmm…" I hummed in disbelief, not truly believing that a god like him would do such a thing. I doubt he was even competent enough.

Curious, I questioned Hermes, "Why would he decide upon a simple duel instead of the war that I had originally intended? Was he afraid that he would not win? Or was he too cowardly to face me with an army behind me? After all, he proved his cowardice from deciding to cast his curse upon my land from afar, and not having the guts to confront me first."

Hermes, who had so far been serious and neutral, suddenly frowned in clear disapproval, and the corners of his lips tugged down.

"I advise you, Perseus; do not speak of such foolishness," he reprimanded me calmly, but with an undertone of anger and irritation in his voice. "You may have won Zeus' favor as his son by slaying Medusa and Cetus, but you will most certainly not get away from his wrath if you dare to insult one of his true divine sons, especially if the son in question was an Olympian."

Hearing the tone of annoyance in his voice was what made me stop, having realized that I may have overstepped my boundaries. But I only stopped out of respect, and I had no guilt when speaking those words for Dionysus.

Standing up from my throne, I said neutrally, "Very well, brother."

I knew very well that divine beings who were the children of Zeus were not fond of being associated as siblings with his half-blood children such as me. In fact, I had a feeling that they absolutely resent it, considering how many several half-bloods there were which were born of Zeus' seed. Hermes, for one, was not the type to be bothered by such ministrations, but I knew that he too does not refer to me as a half-brother.

Ignoring the skeptical raise of his perfectly-arched brow, I inquired, "When will it take place? And where will it be? If it is a duel, then I would want to have a very good fight with him."

"I do not know when," Hermes replied. "And I do not know where."

"Then how will I know?" I asked as I felt a frown forming on my features.

Hermes quietly turned away, starting to walk back the way he came in. But with each step he took away from me, he replied without turning, "You will know when the time comes. Just keep your senses sharp, and prepare yourself beforehand. Other than that, I wish you luck, Perseus."

The god then silently walked through the translucent silk curtains that adorned the arch entryway of the throne room, and the air of magic and divine aura slowly started to disappear as he did.

Now alone in my throne room, I took a deep breath, experiencing many rushing thoughts that started to plague my mind. In the midst of my thoughts, I walked to the side of the huge and empty room, where several tall archways in the stone wall acted as windows that showed the courtyard of the palace.

Looking out, bracing my hands flat upon the balustrade, I could see that the entire courtyard was full of my people who were taken in as refugees. Scattered in small groups, I could see their solemn and unhappy faces that were laced with dread and fear. All of them were escaping the deadly clutches of the women who were the victims of the blasted Dionysus' curse.

Outside the strong and mighty barrier that surrounded the entire palace ground, I could hear the faint sounds of the maddened shrieks, screams and laughter of the cursed women, who were chanting words I did not understand as they stalked through the torn and ruined town area, prowling for a kill because they were maddened with a sadistic and sick desire to kill every living thing they saw.

How could that _god _do such a thing to people who had been innocent?

Out of spite?

Utterly pathetic.

Heaving a sigh, I willed myself to turn away and walk out of my throne room, feeling that the silence of the solitude was becoming a bit too much for me to bear.

I walked slowly through the empty corridors that were dimly lit by the torches of fire that were built to the wall, listening to the very faint and small noise of the soles of my sandals against the floor. Only that was my companion as I walked up the flight of stairs to the level of the palace that housed my private rooms. But other than the noise that I was making, the sounds of the crazed women far outside the inner regions of the palace seem to enter the quiet corridors and made an eerie faint echo.

After a short while of walking, I finally reached the doors to my bedchambers. Being as quiet as a mouse to not make any noise, I carefully opened the door and let myself into the room before shutting it again.

After taking off my sandals and abandoning them where I left them on the floor, I padded over to the bed and climbed in under the sheets. But instead of lying down and drifting off to sleep, I moved even more until I finally rested next to the comfortable figure that was already sleeping.

She may have not been asleep or must have not been asleep for long, because she turned to face me when I pressed my body gently against hers.

"Perseus," she asked quietly in the darkness of our bedchambers. "What's wrong?"

Even in the darkness of the room that only had the light of the moon that streamed in from the opening of the balcony, I could nearly make out the blue eyes of Andromeda, my wife and queen. I could feel her gaze boring into mine, looking at me with thoughtful concern as according to the tone of her sweet voice.

I felt her hand atop of one of mine, and I then moved so that I was the one holding hers. She shuffled closer to me, until our chests were touching and her head was tucked comfortably under my chin.

With her lips touching the curve of my neck, she asked in concern, "You seem distracted. What's bothering you? Has something gone on?"

I did not answer her, still too wrapped up about my thoughts of my conversation with Hermes.

Andromeda must have felt that in me, for she suddenly moved her arms to embrace me and tilted her head up to press a soft kiss to my lips before she whispered, "Whatever it is, I'm here for you, alright? I will always be here for you, my love."

I breathed in the scent of her sweet reddish-brown curls, sighing when I did. Just the scent of her hair comforted me, relieving me slightly of the qualms I felt inside.

All in all, just having Andromeda with me was enough for me to gain strength in all that I do. If it had not been for her firm support, care and love, I do not think I would have been able to rule Argos alone. She was my beacon of light, and the sole giver of hope in my eyes. She was the most beautiful, glorious, loveliest and perfect woman for me; the only woman for me.

I don't know what I would have done without her.

* * *

Author's Note:

Alas, dear readers, the haze that plagues my country has gotten from bad to _worse_.

People are already starting to fall ill from the excessive smoke that lingers in the air. Yours truly was such a case, to the point where I had to be sent to a doctor because I was not able to breathe properly due to lack of clean oxygen. It was scary when I remembered the moment when I felt so suffocated. I'm fine now; thankfully, I was not that serious. But still, it sucks knowing that I was unable to stay strong against the smoke. Apparently, the farmers in Indonesia are not willing to stop burning trees down because they state reason that they need more land and burning trees was the only solution. They're refusing to stop until they get enough, so I do not know how long this haze would be around. I'm not really pissed at them, but I just wished they thought of better solutions :(

So anyway, enough of my sap story.

Introducing Dionysus' current enemy, Perseus! Now, I imagine Perseus to look like his _Clash/ Wrath of the Titans _counterpart, so I would say he looks exactly like Sam Worthington (though I would base his looks on Perseus from _Clash of the Titans_, with the buzz cut). As you can see - or read - here, Perseus absolutely loves Andromeda. In fact, in real Greek Mythology, Andromeda was said to be his _only _lady love. And Perseus, in my opinion, is a pretty decent demigod hero, who still has morals and values in him. _  
_

Anyway, kudos to those of you who realize that Andromeda's last words were the same last words as Ariadne's. I want to show how Ariadne and Andromeda were both loving wives to their husbands, and who their said husbands are thankful for having. This, if you would want to know, would be quite a big deal in a future chapter.

So, hoping I am still alright by then, see you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	27. PART 2: Chapter 7

**_Part 2: Chapter 7_**

Artemis

I stood in the midst of crowding refugees, looking around the vicinity under the hood of my long woolen cloak.

Everywhere around me, coming in from all directions, the thick and heavy aura of depression lingered like a restless spirit. It coated the air so much that I could almost taste the bitterness of the pain that lingered in the hearts of these poor mortals. It was such an awful thing to feel, and I cringed internally at the very thought of it.

With small steps, I carefully weaved my way through the multitude of refugees, minding those that were sitting down on the ground of the palace courtyard, and especially those who were lying down on the ground sleeping. But as I passed, nobody bothered to look up at me, too busy in their own heavy thoughts to mind me; too busy thinking off the troubles and burdens that were upon them.

But while I too was thinking over my own thoughts, I was suddenly stopped in my tracks when I felt a sudden small tug at the hem of my cloak. Looking down, my eyes met a pair of teary ones of that of a crying young girl.

The girl, whose height only reached up to just below my knees and who looked to be at the tender age of six mortal years, had tears streaming down her cheeks. Sniffling in a sad voice that was filled with fear and confusion, she said in a whimper, "Please help me find my brother… I lost him and I don't know where he is…"

At the sight of her sad tears, my heart was suddenly so overwhelmed with pity for the child that I did not hesitate to take her into my arms and pick her up, hitching her comfortably onto my hip. As she was a young girl, she was under my patronage, and as her goddess, I will not deny her help when she clearly needed it most.

"There, there, little one. It's alright," I said to her gently as I wiped away the tears on her cheeks with my finger. "Now, tell me what your name is."

She was not afraid to grab handfuls of my cloak, trying to pull herself to me as much as she could, as though she was trying to find solace in me. With her head resting on my shoulder, she quietly replied with a sniffle, "Lysandra."

I willed myself to smile, to give her some sort of comfort. "Well then, Lysandra. I would be more than willing to help you find your brother," I said to her.

And so I went with the little girl, Lysandra, in my arms, keeping my eyes sharp while still looking all around me from under the hood of my cloak. I listened as the child called out for her brother's name, while also looking out for a young boy who would look as equally lost as she had been. This drew the attention of the others who had previously been so deep in thought to notice the presence of anyone else.

Now, they looked, but only at me. They looked at me with a sort of curiosity and anxiety, probably at wondering why there was a mysterious cloaked figure walking these parts. But despite the looks of suspicion they directed at me, I could tell very well that they had no idea that I was a goddess in disguise.

But then, my discrete attentions on them were suddenly interrupted when Lysandra suddenly shouted out, "Lysander!"

I immediately looked up ahead and saw a young boy, looking to be the age of four, who was also shouting her name from across a small distance. The boy was being carried in the arms of a cloaked figure as well; someone I knew very well who.

At the same time, the children were both let down to the ground, and they instantaneously ran towards each other. Lysandra was the one to put her arms around her younger sibling first, pulling him into a big embrace as she smiled and giggled in happiness and relief. Lysander was crying, although he still smiled widely.

I was still watching the embracing reunited siblings in amusement, when the voice of my own brother sounded in my head.

_Fancy seeing you doing the same thing, Artemis._

I looked up at the cloak figure that stood across me, immediately making contact with the bright blue eyes of Apollo, who was also looking at me from under the hood of his own woolen cloak. He was smirking, and so did I at that moment.

_It must be Fate. _I replied to him back in my mind with amusement.

Just then, our attentions were suddenly on a calling voice of a man, who was calling out in utter relief, "Lysandra! Lysander! There you are! I have been looking all over the place for you!"

"Papa!" Both Lysandra and Lysander cried out at the same time, immediately rushing towards the middle-aged man who was approaching them with open, waiting arms. Upon contact, they threw themselves into their father's arms, embracing him as he did them.

With a pointing finger directed towards me and Apollo, Lysander exclaimed, "They helped us find each other, Papa! They were so very kind and helpful!"

Looking up at us, I could see the flicker of curiosity within the man's eyes, with a hint of wariness at the sight of us donning cloaks. Somewhere deep within his thoughts, I could deduce that he was wondering who we strange figures were.

Nonetheless, as he stood before us with his young children hugging his legs, he bowed deeply. "Thank you so very much for helping my children," he said to me and my brother graciously with a smile.

"It is no problem," I replied, feeling a smile play on my lips even if I knew that he might not be able to see it. "We are just glad that we could help."

Beside me, Apollo knelt down to look at the children in the eye, commenting with a smile, "Still quite so active for them to be running around and getting lost. They must be quite a handful for their mother."

The very minute Apollo said that last word, the expression on all three of the mortals' faces changed. Both Lysandra and Lysander looked down at the ground sadly, whereas their father's face was immediately ridden with distraught and grief.

I nudged my brother discretely with my foot in disapproval for his supposed mistake, before I asked in concern, "Please do not mind me if I asked, sir. But, where is their mother?"

The man looked away then, his face suddenly becoming clear with pain and sadness. Even with his eyes shut tightly, I could clear see the beads of tears that were escaping through the slits and slowly sliding down his daunt cheeks. The bump in his throat jumped in discomfort, clearly indicating that he was trying to hold back a sob that was threatening to escape.

I did not expect an answer from him, seeing as how he looked so pained. But I also did not expect an answer from Lysandra and Lysander, which was what had happened.

"Our Mama's outside the palace gates," Lysander told me in a mumble.

"And I don't know if she's still with our baby brother," Lysandra said sadly.

I did not have to ask them to explain what they had meant to conclude what had happened to their mother and their baby brother.

"I am so sorry…" I heard myself breathe out heavily to the man, who was still facing away with shut eyes and a very pained and distraught expression.

The heavy dread in my voice complimented the heaviness that was starting to manifest from deep within the regions of my heart. The pity and sympathy I felt for all the people of Argos started to grow and grow, and I found myself thinking, _This has gone too far…_

The man said nothing more to us, only remaining in silent pain as his children continued to hug his legs as a soothing gesture. Their attentions were not on me and Apollo, even when my brother took hold of my hand and led me away from the mourning family. I could not tear my eyes away from them as we walked away. It was only until we found a secluded corner and let down our hoods did I finally close my eyes and sucked in a deep breath.

In a voice that was barely a whisper, I heard myself say, "That was awful…"

A pair of strong, lean arms wrapped themselves tenderly around me, enclosing me in a gentle embrace as Apollo hugged me to his chest. My arms promptly wrapped themselves around his neck, trying to find comfort.

"Sshh…" Apollo whispered soothingly into my ear. "It's alright, Artemis… It's going to be alright for them…"

Pressing my face against the curve of his neck, my mind suddenly filled itself up with mental images of just a while ago. Seeing the people of Argos kept in the palace courtyard of refugees, with their faces clear of pain, grief, dismay and anguish, sent a jolt to my heart. The thought that their female loved ones were outside of the barriers, having been rendered maniac by Dionysus' curse, made the feeling worse.

Brothers separated from their sisters. Husbands separated from their wives. Children separated from their mothers.

Such a cruel, painful realization.

"It will all be over soon…" Apollo said in reassurance. "It will all be over soon…"

I could only hope.

* * *

Dionysus

The loyalty of my followers astounded me to no end. I had initially wanted to travel to Argos with no one else but Ariadne, but every single one of them insisted that they follow me, stating reason that they wanted to stand by my side to show me their support.

It was indeed a very good thing that I had them.

Even from inside my tent, I could hear them outside, preparing my chariot that I would ride to the gates of Argos. I would help them, but I had decided to be inside in an attempt to get some meditation to prepare myself for my upcoming duel. I was thankful for the noise of my followers, because it gave me the constant reminder of who I would be fighting for.

"Dionysus?"

Upon the call of my name, I opened my eyes, immediately seeing Ariadne entering the tent with some Maenads walking behind her, all who held an item of mine in their hands.

"Your armor is ready," my wife informed me, a hand gesturing to the pieces of bronze armor that were laid out on the table by the Maenads.

I made to stand for her, immediately taking her into my arms just as the Maenads quickly trailed out of the room. When we were alone, I made haste to press my lips to hers, initiating a kiss. Ariadne reciprocated promptly, wrapping her arms around my neck to hold herself to me. She shaped her lips against mine in a sweet and gentle manner.

When we both pulled away for breath, she did not let go of me. Instead, she pressed her face into the curve of my neck, inhaling the scent of my skin.

I could hear her whisper, "I'm scared, Dion… I know I should not be, but I can't help it… I feel scared for you…"

I turned my head to press my face into her sweet-smelling blonde hair, filling my lungs with the scent of her perfume as I did. "Do not be scared, my love," I told her. "I will make sure that nothing happens to me. I will be safe and back in your arms at the end of the day. That I will promise you."

I then pulled away and walked to the table. With slow but careful hands, I began to pick the armor that I was to wear. But then Ariadne approached me to help me put on my armor, like the dutiful and devoted wife she was. I obediently remained still and quiet as she started strapping the different metals in their various places and ensuring that they were secure on my body.

When she finally strapped my breastplate – the last of the armor – above the leather of my tunic, she ran her hands down the cool furbished metal, her grey-green eyes gazing vacantly at her reflection. I could tell very well that she was having troubled thoughts again.

With gentleness in my movements, I cupped her chin, tilting her head up so that she was looking at me. Indeed, I could see worry and concern in her eyes, which were then averted downwards away from mine.

"Ariadne. Look at me."

With slight hesitance, she did. I stroked her cheekbone with my thumb, looking into her eyes as I said, "It will be fine after this. We will still be together when all this is over. Don't worry."

Ariadne heaved a sigh, and nodded her head. "You're right. You're absolutely right. I should not be worrying." She sucked in a deep breath and exhaled, then she looked back at me with a small smile playing on her lips. "I should look as confident as you, my heart. I need to look my part as your wife when we set off on your chariot."

That suddenly reminded me of something that made me pull myself away from her. Ariadne looked at me in confusion, watching me curiously when I moved to pick up a wooden box that had been on the floor and put it on the table.

Opening the box, I told her, "You need not look the part of my wife, Ariadne. You are more than fine the way you look now. However, you do need to look the part of my queen."

Finally, I lifted Ariadne's crown carefully from the cushion it was resting on in the wooden box. My fingers felt the smoothness of the silver-gold metal as my eyes admired its shape of a grapevine wreath. In the faint light of a candle that was burning nearby, the eight diamond stones that were encrusted into Corona shimmered many colors.

Ariadne held my gaze as I placed her crown on atop her blonde hair. Combined with the dress of leopard skins she wore and the green grapevine leaves that still looked healthy even in this very late time of autumn, she truly looked the part of my Queen.

Later, when we both exited the tent, holding each other's hands, my followers sang of praise and of victory. Their voices were loud with energy and gusto, which I believe could be heard even from the highest of mountains. They parted to make a clear pathway for us to reach my chariot, which had the reins attracted to a pair of strong leopards that will act as the power that will pull it into movement.

When we finally reached my ride, I held Ariadne's hand securely as she stepped onto it before getting on it myself. A Maenad approached the chariot, carrying a tray that held two golden chalices of wine. She gave the cups to both me and Ariadne and bowed her head in respect before retreating to re-join the crowd.

With my chalice in hand and Ariadne standing beside me, I allowed my eyes to sweep over the crowding mass of my followers, listening to their chants and songs and praises. As I did, I could feel my heart beating frantically, pumping ichor laced with adrenaline through my veins.

It was then I called for a halt of noise, and it came almost instantly when the thiasus abruptly stopped.

"My loyal followers!" I called out to them, my voice loud and demanding to ensure that their attentions would be solely focused on me. "Today, is the day, that we have all been waiting for!"

A loud cheer in response.

"Today, is the day, I will engage the blasted demigod in combat!"

The cheer turned louder.

"Today, is the day, I will prove my name as a god!"

The cheer became louder.

"Today, is the day, I will punish him for his hubris!"

The cheer gained volume.

"Today, is the day, I will fight for my rights!"

The cheer became so loud that I could feel my own heart started to tremble in tune to the vibrations that their loud voices emanated. Even the wine in my chalice started trembling, as did my chariot that shook ever so lightly.

In the peak of the moment, both Ariadne and I raised our chalices high, as a show of our confidence and determination. The crowd cheered out loud once again, some raising their own glasses to us.

With ferocity, my wife and I brought our respective chalices to our lips and drank the wine deeply. The sweet, fruity and tart flavor and scent of the rich liquid of dark purple grapes enamored my body into ecstasy, relishing each drop of the delicious and exotic wine that flowed into my mouth and onto my tongue.

We emptied our chalices at the same time, pulling it away from our lips with a partnered gasp of relief. All I could hear now, other than the extreme loudness of my followers, was the frantic pumping of my heart from deep within my chest. The sound echoed loudly in my ears, slightly muffling the sounds of my people.

When our chalices were taken away, I took hold of the reins of my chariot, my knuckles turning slightly white as I gripped the ropes tightly. Ariadne looped her arm around my crooked elbow, placing her other hand on my forearm so that she could have a better hold on me.

Suddenly, for a short fleeting second, I hesitated as my mind plagued me with thoughts on whether or not this was a good idea. Just the very thought that, in less than an hour, I would be engaging in battle with someone I have never met before sent my nerves on an end. Even the wine I had just drunken a few seconds prior did not seem to calm my qualms. I felt a combination of both excitement and anxiety stirring within me.

It was a warm and soft hand that broke me out of my stupor. Ariadne cupped my cheek gently, looking at me with eyes filled with concern. Sighing lightly, I willed myself to smile for her, and she smiled back.

And then, without a moment's hesitation, I snapped the reins, feeling the leopards move off and pulling my chariot in the direction of the city of Argos. Behind me, my followers followed in a marching contingent, watching me with excitement as I stood tall and confident, readying myself.

* * *

Perseus

Even though far away, I could feel him approaching, a step closer to my city with each passing second. His foreign aura was becoming more prominent the more I focused solely on it, and I could feel how strong it really was.

Today was the day. No going back on plans now.

"Guards!" I exclaimed in command as I suddenly rose from my throne, startling the guards who stood in attendance and Andromeda who was sitting beside me from her own throne. "Prepare my armor and sword! Take positions at the gate! _He_is about to arrive!"

Recalling protocol that I had discussed from just a few days ago, the many guards made haste to heed my commands and headed to their respective positions. I had just strode out of the throne room, on the way to the armory, when I hear the sounds of horns blaring outside; a sign of incoming battle.

As I walked with big strides, a guard rushed to my side. "Sire, it appears that the cursed women had fallen into some sort of spell," he told me urgently, his breathing rapid and deep as he tried to keep up pace with mine. "All of them had fallen into a deep sleep, all at the same time."

"Then it's a good thing," I answered in my rush to the armory. "We would be able to get to the city gates without any of them attacking us. But arm yourself proper when we are to be off."

"Yes, sir," the guard said before rushing off to someplace else. It was at that time I had already stepped foot into the armory, and was immediately donning my armor with the help of the servants who took care of it.

Andromeda came to my side, being mindful of giving enough space for the servants to put on my armor. "Perseus, I worry now," she told me anxiously. "This is all so sudden. What if something goes wrong?"

Hearing the worry and concern in my wife's voice was what made me gesture to the servants – who were, by now, done with strapping my armor ontp my body – to back away for a while to bring her into an embrace. We hugged each other tightly, and I stroked her hair as I said, "Everything will be alright, my queen. I can assure it."

I pressed a kiss to her head and she pressed one to my cheek before she willingly let me go, stepping back to allow further preparation to be done on me.

A guard took this moment to present to me my sword of choice; the one sword that I had used to cut off the head of Medusa and defeat the sea monster Cetus years ago. It had been polished recently, and sharpened greatly to slice effectively. When I took the sword that was still in its bronze scabbard, I then grabbed the guard by his shoulder, pulling him to me until he was close enough for me to whisper.

"Also, prepare my secret weapon."

* * *

Author's Note:

Man, I totally sucked on this chapter. This had me experience _MAJOR _writer's block. I can't believe that I just finished this earlier today! Damn my obsessiveness to keep every chapter at a 3000+ word limit! But nonetheless, it is done, and it is the chapter right before the anticipated duel!

Anyway guys, weather's starting to get better over here, though there are still slight traces of smog in the sky. Ugh, can this ever stop? It's getting all hot again!

So, in a slightly better mood, I shall see you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	28. PART 2: Chapter 8

_**Part 2: Chapter 8**_

Dionysus

When the tall and mighty gates to the city had opened, out came a contingent of heavily armoured and armed guards. They marched briskly but with purpose, keeping their eyes on me and the mass of my followers behind me. There must be about a hundred of them that came out and took formation.

From where I stood to the front line of the contingent, there was a wide stretch of land space which I knew would act as my battleground in the upcoming moment.

It was just then the guards suddenly parted way for a sole person who was coming to the front of the line. This particular person was no guard. He was wearing armour made of shining steel – whereas the guards wore armour of plain copper – and he was not wearing any helm like the rest, revealing his face to me.

This man was clearly a demigod, for he had that certain faint aura of divinity flowing within him. And even with his shaved head and his face that was marked by scars attained from years of battle, he possessed beauty that was greater than that of a mortal's but lesser than that of a god's.

The man came to a stop alone in a spot ahead of his guards, same as how I was standing alone ahead of my followers. Like me, he was only armed with a sword – which was in its scabbard that was hanging from a belt around his waist – and a shield.

He and I engaged in a stare-down, looking hard into each other's eyes, feelings masked by a look of neutral indifference.

But then, I could feel a smile playing on my lips, and it was I who spoke first.

"Greetings, Perseus," I greeted to him in a voice loud enough for him to hear, with a tilt of my head in his direction. It took me a lot to have a tone of mock friendliness in my voice as I spoke to him. "At last, we meet."

Surprisingly, he returned the gesture, smiling as well as he replied from across the distance between us, "Greetings as well, Lord Dionysus. Although, I will admit, I had hoped we had met under _better _circumstances."

I supressed the flare of annoyance that appeared within me, keeping my façade calm and smiling politely while I fought to hold back the cuss words that were playing on the tip of my tongue. "Indeed, it should have been that way. However, your actions _had _prompted this… _unfortunate_ event. That we must not forget," I replied with a fake smile plastered on my lips and my voice speaking in fake friendliness.

To my amusement, annoyance became apparent in Perseus' eyes, and I beamed internally at the thought that I had managed to get back at him for his insolence. But unfortunately, he returned to that façade of smugness in just a fleeting second, acting as though my words had no effect on him.

"Might I ask, my _lord_," he said, putting clear emphasis on the title. "What had you done to the women that your actions had affected? Why have they all suddenly gone to sleep on this particular day? Was there reason?"

Ah, he was bound to have brought that topic up sooner or later. "Oh, that. Oh, I was just thinking that they must be so tired running around your city, screaming all day without any purpose like a bunch of wild animals. So why not give them a rest?" I answered him, very aware of the heavy coating of smugness in my voice. And then, I added with a smile, "Am I right to say this, Perseus?"

Now that really ticked him off. His entire facial features changed; his eyebrows pulled into a dark frown, his eyes turned stony as they start to glare at me, and his lips were pressed into a thin line. Even his hands, which had been hanging nonchalantly at his sides, started to ball up into tight fists, trembling fervently; a sign that his anger that he had been harboring towards me may reach its breaking point any minute – or second – now.

"Now what has gotten you so worked up, Perseus?" I questioned in mock innocence, continuing to smile at him.

My heightened sense of sight was able to catch the fleeting moment of his trembling fist starting to inch towards the sword at his waist. Instinctively, the fingers of the hand that was holding onto the hilt of my own sword started to tighten, anticipating his moment of attack.

But all of a sudden, he took a deep breath and visibly started to relax, before asking, "May I ask; who is she?"

I became confused at his question for a moment, until I noticed where exactly his line of sight was directed at. I promptly turned my head around to look at Ariadne, who was still standing on the chariot, her back straight and her posture firm as a show of confidence.

But the look on my wife's face told me that she too was as confused by Perseus' strange question as much as I was.

Turning back to look at Perseus, I answered, "That would be Ariadne; my wife, and the queen consort of my Bacchic rituals; she who wears the crown Corona and the one who dances gracefully among wildcats."

For some strange reason, Perseus' face suddenly became enlightened, and he smiled in somewhat realization. "Ah, yes! Ariadne! I have heard of you from tales that were spoken years ago," he exclaimed.

I do not know why, but I felt myself tense at that moment.

And then, with a big grin, Perseus added cheerily, "Now I know who you are! Ariadne, the guardian of the Labyrinth of Crete who had single-handedly destroyed the tradition of the sacrifices to the Minotaur! Ariadne, the traitor princess of Crete who committed treason towards her royal family and was banished from her own homeland! Ariadne, the foolish and naïve cow-brained girl who thought she was in love with a man she does not even know! Ariadne, the …"

At that exact moment, I finally snapped, just as Perseus finished with his final blasted words.

"… _whore _of Theseus."

I spontaneously emitted a loud howl of rage and fury as I finally charged at Perseus at full speed. My arm rose over my head, my hand tightly gripping the hilt of my sword as I readied to swing it down upon the damn demigod once the right moment arrive. As I ran, I could feel myself burning hotter and hotter with anger.

Just as I was finally right in front of Perseus, I swung down my sword, aiming for his head and hoping that a crack in his skull would end him there and then.

"**DAMN YOU!**" I heard myself bellow in rage while I was in the midst of it. "**DAMN YOU TO TARTARUS!**"

Unfortunately, he had his shield in hand, which he had used to block the blade. In addition, he used the bulk of his shield to push me back and away from him, so that he had enough space to draw his own sword – an adamantine one, which I knew was given to him by Zeus – from his scabbard.

A smug grin was on his lips as he asked in a taunt, "Now what has gotten you so worked up, Dionysus?"

I growled at him like a wildcat would growl at an opponent. Raising my sword so that the tip was pointed at him threateningly, I snarled under my breath, "You may insult my rituals, you may insult my followers, and you may insult me. But _never_, and I say _**NEVER**_, insult my wife, you insolent swine!"

Perseus charged at me and swung his sword, but I managed to block it with the blade of my own. The sounds of sharp metal clanging against each other was clear in the air, interlaced with the mingled cries of both my followers and his soldier guards that erupted with each swing of either of our swords. Their noises were loud, getting louder with every second that passed.

While I loved having a crowd for whatever I do, I had no time to think of putting on an act to entertain them. This was a serious time for me, because I was terribly set on getting revenge on Perseus for, not only committing an act of hubris against me, but also for having the insolence to dare to insult my wife.

And I especially did not take a liking to the fact that he was saying Ariadne's name with that other damned demigod that I – even after seven years and having not met him once – still so very much despised.

I channeled all the rage that was pent up and building up inside of me, and used it as a sort of fuel to drive me into attacking Perseus without any stops or breaks in between. I was spontaneous, with more movements coming on right after the next. There was no stopping me; I was like a wildfire that could not be tamed.

"**Did you honestly think you do not deserve this?!**" I asked him in a seethe of breath. "**Did**** you honestly think that your insolence would be taken lightly?! You are a fool if so!**"

Perseus, who was staggering to his feet after having lost his balance for a while, snarled back in response, "_**You**_** are a fool for being a **_**god **_**of such insane acts! Encouraging others to drown their wills in wine, rendering them to lose all sense of humanity within them! You're turning them from decent mortals to wild animals!**"

That sent me in another bout of rage, and I ran towards him with my sword extended out to stab him right in the chest, if Fate allowed it. Unfortunately, it seemed that Fate did not allow it, and it helped to make Perseus throw himself to the side to avoid my incoming attack.

I spun on my heel to face him, taking heavy, threatening strides towards him as I thundered, "**No matter what I do, you still have no right to insult a god!**"

I swung my sword at him, managing to scrape my blade against the metal of his steel breastplate, sending him falling back down to the ground as he tried to get up.

"**You do not think that you have right!**" I continued on hotly.

Another swing, another scrape of my blade against his breastplate, sending him falling again.

"**You are a fool!**"

At that precise moment, Perseus seemed to have gained sudden momentum, for he quickly stood up in quick speed, and immediately directed a sideways swing of his sword in my direction.

Thankfully, I managed to duck down just in time to the deathly blow which could have sliced my neck had I still remained standing. But upon seeing the advantage I had gained from move, I stuck out my leg and gave him a sideways kick to his waist. Luckily, he had no time to dodge that, and he immediately tumbled to the ground.

In a flash, I stood up and tackled him to the ground, just as he was about to get up. My actions had caused the watching crowd to gasp in shock and surprise, before turning into a big and loud mindless chatter all over again.

Perseus was in a daze towards the turn of events that had just occurred, but that daze turned into pain when I curled up my free hand into a fist and punched it against his face. I could hear a faint _crunch _noise when my hardened fingers came in contact with his nose, which was then followed by a stream of blood starting to trickle down one of his nostrils. A faint purplish bruise was also starting to blossom on his cheekbone, just a few inches short of his eye.

I could not stop myself from letting out laughter of satisfaction at that moment. Seeing him in pain and it was because I had caused it? Now that was something I really liked at that moment.

But my moment of glee was cut short when I unfortunately did not anticipate the punch of retaliation he struck at me in a quick flash.

And it was then I discovered that, despite the fact that he was a demigod, it was either he possessed the strength of a pure god, or it was because my mortal side was bringing down my strength. But I refused to think that it was because of the latter, and decided that it must be the former.

The force of his punch was able to push me off him. I started to stagger to remain upright because I lost balance when the soles of my feet were pressed against the earth once again. With a quick self-assessment of my body, nothing seemed to be hurting. A few cuts here and there from the minor slashing of Perseus' sword and falling to the ground multiple times, but I was so far alright.

But all of a sudden, a shrill scream emanated through the air, shocking me out of my thoughts. In confusion, I wondered what the scream was for, but it then took me a few seconds later to realize that it was Ariadne's.

And it was just then, in my daze of wondering why my wife was screaming, I felt a sudden sharp slice against my arm.

When I had finally regained my balance and looked ahead, I saw that Perseus was still standing a few feet ahead of me. At first, I wondered why I felt the close range of attack when he was clearly at a distance, but it was then I realized that he did not have his sword with him. Looking behind me at the ground, I saw that his sword was on the ground, a few feet behind me. It was only then I realized that he had thrown his adamantine sword like a javelin at me.

Looking at my arm, I saw that there was indeed a clean slice in my skin that looked to be long and quite deep. From it, shimmering golden ichor was spilling like a waterfall, streaming fast down the length of my forearm and dripping onto the ground from my fingertips.

As I continued to stare at my new wound, I heard the demigod chuckle. "Well, it looks like you are not truly invincible, are you?" he taunted with a smile.

I did not say anything in return, only keeping my eyes focused on the slice in my skin. I could only hear the low – and irritating – chuckle of Perseus, as well as the cries and shouts of the crowd, and the sound of Ariadne screaming my name in panic and worry.

However, I did not react to any of that. Instead, I simply closed my eyes, gathered my aura within me, and willed the ichor to stop spilling and the wound to slowly close up. I let out a sigh of relief when I could feel the parted skin slowly coming back together. When I opened my eyes again, I saw that what was once the slice was now just a reddish-pink scar. No matter; that could be healed completely with ambrosia later on.

I could hear the cries and shouts turn into gasps of surprise and amazement. Looking back ahead, I saw Perseus staring back at me with an awe-stricken expression with just a hint of shock.

When I noticed that he was now unarmed with only just his shield, because he had foolishly thought that throwing his sword at me was a good idea, I smirked in amusement. "I bet you have forgotten that only a true god could cure himself from any wounds inflicted upon him, did you?" I asked with a taunt in my tone. "And you did not think through your plan far. Now, you are sword-less, and have no means to attack me back, do you?"

I wasted no time in charging towards him, my sword now being swung in my hand to attack. Luckily, this time I was able to get the point to slash him across his thigh. He yelled out in pain just as the blood started to flow. Immediately, he fell to his knees from the pain. But I did not bat an eyelash as I swung my sword again, having the blade slice his arm.

"Doesn't feel too good, does it?" I asked in a laugh, swinging my sword again to aim for his face.

But just as the blade was about to strike down, Perseus had managed to bring his shield to block his face, effectively stopping the deathly blow I had intended for him. But the impact of my sword upon the shield was so strong and forceful that the metal of the blade had managed to crack the wood of the shield into many pieces.

Before I had time to register any of it happening, the pieces of wood fell down to empty land. I realized then that Perseus was starting to run back to where his guards had stood, limping slightly due to the gash on his thigh. He was shouting to them unintelligibly, clearly exhausted from the duel.

I could not hold back the laughter that was building up in my throat. It came out of my mouth sounding amused and, definitely, full of mirth. I was laughing at how cowardly the demigod looked, running away back to the protection of his mortal guards. I could only assume that this meant he had finally given up, and that I had reigned victorious. An internal part of me jumped in joy at that thought, satisfied that I may have finally won.

I was not the only one to think so. Behind me, my followers, who had been indeed an involved audience, roared in excitement. All of them cheered my name and jeered at Perseus. I could even hear some cursing the man's name and his family, and some singing hymns to me.

I was about to turn around to smile at my thiasus, wanting to enjoy the satisfaction with them; the satisfaction that was just aching for a celebration afterwards.

But before I could do so, I was stopped by the words that were spoken by Perseus.

* * *

Ariadne

I have heard many tales of this man, who everyone considered as a hero, a savior and, by a foolish some, a god among men. Words of him being the most honorable and respectable man to ever be known were spoken by the tongues of many. However, considering what he had just spoken about me just now, which still stung me painfully even until now, I doubt those statements were even true.

But other than stories of praise of him, there was mostly the stories of his greatest feat; the slaying of Medusa.

Countless times it was told, the story of his encounter with the cursed and fearsome snake-haired gorgon with the supernatural ability to turn anyone who looked directly into her eyes into stone. The reason he had done so was to bring it as a gift to the king of Seriphos, who had lusted after his mother Danaë. He had entered the lair of the gorgons when Medusa was asleep, using only a mirrored shield given to him by Athena herself to guide his way inside so that he would not risk being turned into stone, and having decapitated Medusa's head from her body with just a single blow of his sword to her neck. Upon his return to Seriphos, he had used the head to turn the king into stone, after having discovered that, in his absence, the king had threatened, abused, and maybe even assaulted Danaë, which caused her to seek refuge in a temple.

There were many rumors about what Perseus did with the decapitated head afterwards, but no one knew which one was the truth.

However, the most famous one was that he had placed the head of Medusa upon his shield, to use her supernatural ability – that was rumored to still be active, even after her death – in combat, if the situation called for it.

And speaking of his shield…

Perseus staggered at a steadfast pace towards his guards, shouting a command at the top of his voice that was loud enough for even me to hear.

"Give me the shield! Give it to me now!"

* * *

Author's Note:

OOOOOOHHHHHH... This are about to get messy from here guys!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	29. PART 2: Chapter 9

_**Part 2: Chapter 9**_

Ariadne

Right after he shouted that command, one of the guards standing at the frontline of the contingent suddenly withdrew something that was hiding behind his back. The guard threw the object to the ground, where it slid until it reached Perseus' feet. From where I stood, I could make out that the mysterious object was large and disc-shaped, wrapped in burlap cloth.

By the time the king of Argos picked up the disc, I immediately realized that my suspicions had been correct. I mean, why would an ordinary shield be covered in burlap cloth?

Only unless, it held the head of a creature that turned anyone who looked upon it into stone.

In that moment, I could make out two things.

Firstly; Perseus was intending to use the cursed powers of Medusa's head to turn my husband into stone. I realized now that this was his last resort to the duel if so ever all hope seemed lost for him. He was unarmed, since he had thrown his adamantine sword away from his hand. So the logical thing for him to do right now was to use that shield.

Lastly; Dionysus was running towards him, with his sword raised, his face full of angry intention.

The realization struck me like a lightning bolt.

My husband was about to walk into a trap.

_Oh no… Oh no, oh no, oh no… This is not good… Not good at all…_

This was definitely _not _good at all. My husband was about to walk towards his end without even knowing, because he was too consumed with the thought of ending this battle and finishing off the demigod to even notice anything strange about the shield that Perseus had just summoned for. I could tell from the way his tense and rigid body moved towards his opponent that the only thing he could think of right now was to kill the demigod once and for all.

But he did not know that Perseus had the shield that held Medusa's decapitated head. But I did, and I needed to tell him. I could not just stand here watching the battle commence, knowing what danger could happen to my husband but not doing anything about it. I most definitely had to do something about this.

_I have got to stop this…_ a small voice in my head suddenly spoke through my crowded mind. _I need to stop this… For Dion…_

That very thought was enough to make me spontaneously jump off the chariot and run into the battleground, with my eyes locked on the running Dionysus and my heart beating wildly inside my chest. I ignored the cries and shouts of shock and confusion of the followers that started the very second I had ran away from the chariot, instead focusing on running on my bare feet – I had grown used to not wearing shoes now, and sometimes preferred not to at all – without tripping or falling on the gritty ground. One little blunder of mine could mean the end of my husband, and I could not risk even one silly mistake.

With each step I took, I could hear the cries of the followers getting louder and more frantic. They were shouting at me to come back, beckoning me to go back to safety, and praying to the gods that I had not been crazy enough to run into the thick of battle. I could already hear the leopards roaring in fear, and some Maenads crying in confusion as to what was going on with me.

But I paid them no heed. Like Dionysus, I was consumed with only one thought.

To keep my husband safe and alive at all costs.

As I ran at the maximum speed my body could handle, which I felt was – worryingly – not enough, I shouted at the top of my voice, thick with fear and anxiety, "**DION! DION, DON'T!**"

Unfortunately, as though the Fates were plotting against me, Dionysus did not hear my cries. He was roaring in battle rage that drowned out the sound of my own shouting voice, too deep in the heat of the duel to even concentrate on anything else from his surroundings. Furthermore, he did not even notice me running towards him. And neither did Perseus.

Nonetheless, I kept on running. At this point of time, I found that I could not stop. Even though I knew it was impossible, I was attempting to run faster than my husband, intending to intercept him so as to avoid him from coming closer to becoming a prey to Perseus' cunning trap.

"**DION!**" I continued to shout, desperately trying to get his attentions on me. "**DION, STOP RUNNING! IT'S A TRAP!**"

But like I had expected, he did not hear me.

Now I was at my breaking point, desperately trying to get myself to come up with solutions and other tactics to stop the (seemingly) inevitable from happening. But I tried with all my best to do the thinking fast and come up with something, because time was now of the essence. Each second wasted could be one second closer to Dionysus being turned into stone.

Just then, all of a sudden, a flash of movement caught my eye. Hesitantly, I tore my sight away from my husband to his opponent. As I continued to run at what might be the same speed as my husband's, my pacing even seemingly on par with his, I noticed then that Perseus was not moving.

He was standing still, feet placed firmly on the ground to give him balance, although he was still struggling to stand properly with the wound on his thigh that had been caused by my husband's sword. With his hard eyes fixed on the approaching Dionysus, he held the burlap-covered shield in front of him, like how one would hold a shield to block themselves from an incoming attack.

The more I watched him warily with growing fear, the more it became apparent that the burlap cloth was being pulled away from the shield it was covering. And very soon, a pair of gruesome eyes on that shield would meet the dark hazel eyes of my husband.

I felt my heart racing, then skip a beat, then stop, then racing again.

There was no more time for strategies. Action had to be taken now.

Without even giving a second thought or realization as to what I was doing, I willed myself to increase my speed, now praying with all my heart that I would be able to stop this in time. And for some strange reason, I realized that I was now slightly ahead of Dionysus. I did not know why; was it because he was getting too tired, or because some supernatural force was aiding me in my time of need?

But whatever it was, I had no time for thought on that. Using the fact that I was ahead of Dionysus as an advantage, I finally moved in to make my interception, focused on my plan to stop my husband before he got too close.

_Only one thing to do now, Ariadne…_ the voice in my head spoke, the only clear thing at this very moment. _Keep Dion safe and alive…_

I continued running, feeling wind hit my face and the soles of my feet pounding upon the ground.

Only when I had finally managed to make a move in did Dionysus finally realized I was there. His eyes widened in a state of shock, and he quickly halted in his steps, skidding slightly on the ground as the friction of the earth worked against the soles of his leather sandals.

Before I had time to stop in my own tracks, my entire body heating up with fear and exhaustion from the run, I finally found myself in between him and Perseus.

However, I realized too late that I was actually having my back to my husband, and my front to Perseus. Thus, I was fully facing the front of the shield.

A now uncovered shield, barren of the burlap cloth it had previously been wrapped in.

With the shield now fully revealed, I finally saw what was on the center.

A pair of horrifying eyes met mine.

I froze on the spot upon the sight of it, feeling myself go numb from what I was seeing.

But then, my heart, that had been racing frantically just a while ago, then started to slow down. And I could clearly feel its beating pace getting slower, and slower, and slower…

And then…

And then…

And…then…

Nothing.

* * *

Dionysus

Everything had happened in a very confusing rush of time.

I did not know why Ariadne was nearby. I had no idea what she was thinking. Had she gone insane? Why had she been there when now was clearly the time where she should have stayed out of the way? Unless she had intended to get hurt? But I knew that Ariadne was smarter than that. There was no way.

As more questions regarding the moment started popping up in my mind, I realized that Ariadne had run in between me and Perseus, her arms outstretched like some sort of barrier to protect me from the demigod. However, due to what could be a trip, she stumbled, and her back turned to face me while her front was to Perseus.

All of a sudden, Ariadne started to turn rigid.

It was not because of shock or fear or anything. It was something else.

Something much more horrifying.

It was her fingers that I noticed first. What were once long and slim fingers, which had created beautiful needlework and had played with our beloved sons and a lot of baby wildcats, suddenly turned grey and hard, and so very solid that her fingers were suddenly frozen in place, a gritty sound emitted as her skin there finally completed hardening. It had not taken long, and the strange effect then continued to spread up her arms at a fast pace. And when it fully turned her limbs, it proceeded to affect other parts of her body. And not only just her body, but her hair and clothes as well.

I could only watch the transformation of my wife in shock and horror, finding myself at a loss for words to express what I felt at that very moment. However, through my state, I knew I could not deny what was happening to my wife before my very eyes.

Ariadne had been – somewhat impossibly – turned into stone.

Suddenly, everything seemed to click. There was only one way for any being that walked the Earth to ever be turned to stone, and there was no doubt about it that Perseus, the famous slayer of the gorgon Medusa, held that ability that was not his own but that of the monster he had slain.

Now I knew why Ariadne had been there, running towards me; she had been trying to stop me, because she knew what was happening and that I would have fallen victim to this trap, had she not made a move to stop it.

But as though cursed by the Fates, it had to happen to her.

I could not believe it… I definitely could not believe it… Had that just happened? Had my wife truly been turned to stone? Surely it must be a trick! Maybe just a trick of the mind, because I was too into the heat of my battle! That could not be real… This could not be real…

But yet, it was.

_CRACK!_

It came out of nowhere. The sharp sound was so loud and so sudden that even I jumped, pulled away from the thoughts that were starting to crowd in my mind as I stared in horror at the sight of Ariadne's body having been turned to stone. So occupying with trying to comprehend what in Tartarus had just happened to realize what had actually happened.

When I did though, I knew then that things started taking turns for the worst. There was no denying it when the sound made was definitely like that of metal cracking rock.

And I then realized why.

In front of my wife, Perseus was looking at her stone face in horror and shock. But I could see that there was clearly another look to his expression; it was realization, of what had happened and who it had happened to. In his hands, I saw, was a short sword, which I had not seen him had a while before when I was charging right at him. He must have withdrawn it from somewhere, most probably the shield he had now possessed.

At that moment, the shield in his hand dropped, luckily on its front side so I did not get an unfortunate chance to see the head of the monster that was implanted on it. But I did not pay much mind to it, because my sight was still focused on Perseus. Now, I could clearly see how his face contorted with his new expression of horrified shock, with his wide disbelieving eyes and his slightly gaped mouth.

But why could I see him clearly now?

It was because Perseus had hit my wife's stone body with so much strength with the short sword, causing Ariadne to start to shatter and break into many pieces of stone.

As I watched my wife crumble to the ground, I could only do one thing.

I screamed in horror.

"**ARIADNE!**"

Without a moment's hesitation, I threw my sword and shield away and flung my entire body to the ground, my fingers coming into contact with the bits of stone that used to be the flesh of the body of my wife. In desperation, I gathered the stones into my hands and then my arms, hugging them close to me like they were precious. I could feel how cold and sharp the fragments of stone were; so very different from the warm and soft body of Ariadne.

I hung my head, staring at the broken and scattered shards of stone that had been Ariadne. I was in a complete state of disbelief. What had happened could not have happened. It _shouldn't _have happened. This was too impossible to believe. There was no way that the Fates could have been that cruel to weave such an occurrence into Ariadne's thread.

Suddenly, I felt something that I have never felt before in my entire life.

I felt anguish.

My eyes started to sting with the pain that this had happened to my precious wife. It stung so much that it watered, and the first tears that I had ever shed in my long entire life started to fall down. My throat started to feel thick with a sob that came out of my mouth sounding so broken and strangled. My heart started to feel pained, and I could almost feel cracks starting to form and spread throughout, like how cracks had shattered Ariadne's stone body into the pieces that was now in my arms and on the ground.

Never before have had I felt such pain, such sorrow, such loss. All my life, I had been jovial, ecstatic and always feeling like I was at the peak of my life. I have never known such feelings such as that of sadness, for I have never once had something to be sad over.

Only at this moment, at the realization that my wife was now gone and lost from my grasp, did I feel my entire world come crashing down upon me.

Was this how Tartarus felt like? So agonizingly painful?

But then again, I was not just only sad.

I was completely furious.

"**YOU!**" I roared at the top of my voice, my head whipping up to look at the damned and blasted demigod that did this to Ariadne. "**YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER! YOU KILLED HER!**" I bellowed aloud in a chant, spittle flying from my mouth as the rage burned inside me.

Perseus did not say anything in retaliation, instead looking back at me with the same expression of horror and disbelief. For some reason, he did not look proud that I was in such a state, as he would have been a while ago when he was agitating me during our battle. Instead, he looked almost guilty and regretful.

But I did not pay mind to the look on his face, too caught up in the anger to even care of such a thing.

Springing to my feet, I immediately grabbed hold of his tunic, bringing his face closer to mind and shaking him violently as I shouted, "**IS THIS WHAT YOU WANTED TO DO?! DID YOU PLAN TO KILL HER?! KILLING THE ONE PERSON I HOLD CLOSE TO MY HEART?! THE ONE PERSON WHO I LOVED?!**"

Perseus did not say anything, as with the rest of them there. It was only then I realized that everyone else was silent, with only my shouts and cries being echoed throughout the vicinity.

"**IS THIS WHAT YOU HAD AIMED TO ACHIEVE?! THIS IS WHAT YOU WOULD DO TO WIN THIS PATHETIC DUEL THAT I HAD WANTED NO PART OF FROM THE BEGINNING?! YOU WOULD STOOP TO SO LOW A LEVEL?!"**

Unable to contain my rage any longer, I pushed him forcefully to the ground, and he fell limply as he maintained his gaze upon me. I stared back at him, breathing in and out hot breaths of air, feeling my chest rise and fall rapidly, my tight fists trembling at my sides so hard that I could feel my nails breaking into my skin and drawing out ichor.

I then hung my head, unable to continue looking at the vile murderer as I began feeling the burdening weight of anguish upon me. The tears continued to fall down continuously, gathering at the corners of my eyes before streaming down in fast rivulets down my cheeks. My whole body started to feel heavy all of a sudden, and I felt that I would be unable to stand up soon. Each beating of my heart was like a punch to my chest; slow, deep, painful…

Suddenly, a glint of light on the ground caught my attentions. Shifting my gaze over to it, I saw what it was.

I had thought that whatever Ariadne had on had been turned into stone along with her body. But, by some sort of miracle, her crown had managed to escape the effects of the curse. Corona now lay on the ground, still in its perfect shape, among the rubble that what was once was my wife. The crown was unharmed and still perfect, its silver-gold band still shining in the faint light, and the eight diamond stones still sparkling and glittering.

With slowness in my movements, I bent down to pick up Corona, my fingers being careful as I had a fear that it might break if I touched it. It did not break, and I was glad that it did not. Gently, I held the crown in my hands, my thumbs caressing the smooth and shiny metal.

But just then, I started crying once again, with some of my tears falling onto the crown, glinting against the jewelry. I cried at that moment at the thought that Corona was the only thing right now that would remind me of Ariadne, because I had failed to save her from being broken into pieces by Perseus. Corona was the only thing I had left that was a part of Ariadne.

I clutched the crown to my chest, right over my heart, wishing so badly that Ariadne had not just left the world of the living. But as I did, I found myself muttering something to the demigod standing in front of me.

"I have had enough… No more of this… You win… You win…"

It pained me to forfeit now and accept defeat. A sudden sting of shame and embarrassment hit me right in the gut that I, a god, would actually give in to a half-blood. I had been so sure that I would win and reign victorious, thus getting the compensation I wanted from Perseus. But here I was, entirely at the losing end.

However, I realized now that I no longer cared. I did not care that I would accept defeat. I did not care about losing face. I did not care about Perseus. The reason being because this duel – this stupid and pathetic attempt at revenge – had caused me to lose the most important person in my life. Had all of this not occurred, Ariadne would have still been here, alive and breathing, safe and sound.

Sucking in a deep breath to calm my pained heart, I looked up at Perseus, and saw that he too was staring back in silence. There was no look of scorn or pride on his features, instead still having the look of guilt and remorse from just now. I had no way of telling whether what he showed on his face was genuine or not, but I did not care.

"You have fought bravely, Perseus…" I said to him quietly, my voice sounding heavy and strangled. "I see now that it is only right that you be named the victor… Do what you wish… Abolish my rites in your land… Outcast my devotees… Denounce my name… I find no reason now to fight you any longer, because this…" I gestured to the crown in my hands and the bits of stone on the ground between us, "…will be enough to signify that I had lost… If I had known that this duel would have risked the life of my wife, I would never have done this... And what if I risk the safety of my thiasus if I dared to challenge you to another?... No... I will not do that..."

Without another word or glance to him, I turned away to walk back to my followers. With each heavy step I took, I felt a pain in my heart at the horrible thought that I was walking away from Ariadne, still unable to believe that she was now gone and no longer alive. Only the crown that I was hugging to my chest made me think that a part of her was still with me.

My thiasus said nothing as they parted a way for me to walk through; I did not bother getting onto my chariot, having no care for the regalia anymore. Instead, all of them simply followed me, turning and walking away from the battleground in silence.

* * *

Author's Note:

**OH NO! ARIADNE! DIONYSUS! NO!**

Snap, guys! That was so difficult and heartbreaking! Snap, I felt pained when I typed this out! Poor things!

I just started school today, but that's not important. What's important is how are Dionysus and Ariadne going to get back together, if they would ever get back together!?

Stay tune for the next chapter!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	30. PART 2: Chapter 10

_**Part 2: Chapter 10**_

Ariadne

Darkness was what I first noticed when my eyes opened.

I could feel myself standing somewhere large yet enclosed. There was no form of light anywhere, not even an ember of fire or a streak of the light of the sun or the moon (depending on what time it could have been at this moment). I could sense immediately that I was not alone, that there were several other people, maybe even more than several, all around me. In fact, their strange presences seemed to almost suffocate me.

Then, it was the sounds that flooded into my ears which provided further evidence that I was not alone in this eerie darkness. My attentions were immediately on the sounds when I realized that there were all sounds that was predominantly full of grim feelings; there were crying, there were moaning, there were sniffling, and there were hardened mutters.

However, past the sadness and grief and pain and what not, something was overlaying these dreary sounds. It was none other than a thick and dense quietness, which held the most noticeable emotion that was heavy in the air; the feeling of emptiness. The feeling of emptiness was everywhere. It came in all directions; in front of me, behind me and from every sides. It seemed to be close and far, faint then loud, and it sounded somewhat like an echo or an ensemble.

I began to feel uncomfortable then, at the prospect of being in some strange world.

Now my mind started to act up, popping with questions on where I was and what was I doing here. What was this dark place which I had no idea where it was? How did I end up here? Where exactly was _here_? How long had I been here? I had been in Argos just a while ago, watching Dionysus…

And like a snap of fingers, everything suddenly came back to me all so suddenly.

_Perseus' shield…_

_Dionysus running…_

_Trying to stop my husband…_

_Looking into the eyes of the horrifying Medusa…_

_Everything slowing down, becoming blurry and blank…_

_Emptiness…_

The sudden remembrance was like a sudden jolt to my heart.

No, that statement seemed too unsuitable at this given moment, because I realized then that I could not feel my heart beating.

Alarmed by this discovery, I immediately placed my hand above my heart, pressing it firmly to my breast over the leopard pelt material of my dress. As I did, I prayed immensely in quiet murmurs under my breath that I did not just feel emptiness – almost the same sort of emptiness in this very place – within me. It could not be. I could not be…

But I felt nothing. No heartbeat, no pulse, no warmth, no anything. I was completely still, completely cold and completely silent from the inside. Trying to delve deeper, I was dismayed and disheartened to find further evidence that there was nothing inside me that was alive anymore, for I could not feel a rush of blood – which would have held the very essence of my life – through my veins.

At that moment, I reluctantly thought back to the last memory I recalled before I had suffered fully under Medusa's curse. I remember my line of sight coming in contact with that of the severed gorgon head, and I recalled how horrifying and inhumane it had looked that my heart stopped at the very sight of it, both from shock and fear. Then I recalled the sensation of being frozen solid when I felt my entire body go stiff and rigid, thinking in dismay that I had instead fallen victim to the trap that I had initially wanted to save my husband from. And finally, I last remember the look on Perseus' face when he was about to strike a short sword he drew from inside the shield at me, just as I could feel my whole entire body hardening before becoming numb and lifeless. Perseus' eyes had held the expression of cruel intention, but it quickly turned into shock, surprise and horror when he laid his eyes on mine. But by then, it was entirely too late.

I was in a complete disarray of confusion and disbelief. I knew now that I could no longer deny – no matter how I wanted to – the fact that I was… _dead_.

And if I was that, then that could only mean one thing; the one thing that would answer the question that had been bothering me since I had first opened my eyes a short while ago.

I was now in the Underworld.

Thoughts of rage, sadness and despair started to cloud my thoughts then, sending me into a disarray of messy thoughts of my current state as a soul in the Underworld, where I knew I would be sentenced to final judgement to determine my afterlife. But no matter how hard I tried to desperately let out the feelings that were starting to burden me from the inside, I could not feel the emotions that had implanted those thoughts in my head, because I no longer had an alive and beating heart to help me feel.

With no way else to express the emotions I – honestly – so desperately wanted to express, I could only let out a long sigh, wondering why the Fates must do this to me.

But as I was so deep in thought, I had not realized that the strange presences of the multitude of strangers around me were actually moving forward. I had only realized when I felt someone bump into me, the movements of that unknown someone slow and sluggish, as though walking for them was such a heavy and burdening task. In the darkness, I could only look in the direction that the others were moving forward to, hearing the shuffling of feet and the grim sounds made by the strange presences, who I knew by now were other souls like me.

For some reason, I followed their lead. I did not know where I was going to head, but something told me that I had to follow.

I began to walk in the same direction they were going, taking small steps carefully to keep my pacing on par with theirs. I was mindful to not bump into anyone, not exactly liking the idea of coming into contact with another dead soul; feeling them all around me was creepy enough to send a non-existent chill running down my spine.

After a short while of walking to wherever I was walking to, I found myself coming to an edge of a stream. Or what I had thought was a stream at first, but then discovered that it was actually a river. A vast, long and scary river that was as pitch black as midnight and had heavy and thick fog floating above it. There seemed to be no end to this river, and the fog was so dense that I could not see the land on the other side – or if there was even land there to begin with.

I continued walking to where the ones in front of me were heading to, and I immediately caught sight of something that was approaching the river banks out of the dense fog. With curiosity, I could make out the shape of a long boat, ferried towards the banks by a tall but slight-hunched shadowy figure.

When the boat stopped, the souls in front of me started to move forwards, the first one, who was an old and graying man, standing right in front of the ferryman.

"Open your mouth…" the ferryman, who I saw now was not at all a shadow but was instead wearing a long cloak with the hood drawn up, commanded to the soul in a grim and gravelly deep voice that sounded so worn and dreary.

I watched as the soul opened his mouth slowly, and the ferryman inserted his fingers inside. I was at first appalled at the thought that the strange creature would put his thin and bony – almost skeletal – fingers into my mouth, but that thought was suddenly pushed to the side when I noticed him taking out something from the soul's mouth.

Even in the darkness of the Underworld, the object in the ferryman's hand shone, glinting like a diamond in light. Upon further inspection, I began to realize that the shiny object was in fact a silver obol.

And that was when I remembered all my lessons on funeral rites that I had as a child. I recalled clearly that when a person has drawn their last breath and have been prepared for their funeral, a silver obol had to be placed underneath their tongue, as a form of payment to the ferryman, who I realized now was Charon, for their voyage across the river Styx to enter the land of the dead.

But fear and worry suddenly took over when I remembered what would happen to those deceased who do not have a silver obol in their mouths. Due to having no form of payment to Charon for their voyage, they were disallowed from crossing the river Styx, and would have to wander around aimlessly on the entrance banks of the river for a hundred years.

My own fingers flew to my mouth as I continued to move on, coming closer to the ferry. With hurried movements, my fingers searched my mouth thoroughly, feeling under the tongue especially.

If my heart had still been beating, I swear it would have stopped at this very moment when I discovered that I had no silver obol in my mouth.

Even being heartless, I went into a state of frantic panic. What was I going to do? I had absolutely no way to pay off Charon, since it had seemed that I did not receive a proper burial when I died. I wanted to wonder why, but found that too insignificant to bother my thoughts. What was bothering now was the thought of how I was going to avoid being caught, because I most certainly did not want to wander as a lifeless shade for the next hundred years among the multitude of souls that were always coming in on a daily basis.

Unfortunately, before I knew it, the soul in front of me had boarded the ferry, and I was now face to face with the ferryman himself.

Underneath the hood that casted a dark shadow that masked his face, I could make out his features. To my surprise, Charon did not look like a fearsome daemon or a horrifying creature of the netherland, but instead had the appearance of an old man with a long white scraggly beard and bags under his eyes. He looked daunt and sullen and very ancient, with really sunken dark eyes that was hollow of emotions and many age lines marring his face, which would be the most noticeable indication of his immortal existence.

Just then, Charon finally spoke in his voice of gravel. "Open your mouth…" he said.

I felt panic rise within me once again, and I discretely gulped a lump that was forming in my throat. For some reason, I thought I could feel my palms turning slick with nervous sweat and my heart starting to race in anxiety, but that had clearly been a figment of my own imaginations, my mind playing a trick on me at this worrisome moment.

When I did not do as he said, Charon said again, this time with slight command in his deep voice, "Open your mouth…"

I had half a mind to not follow his orders, wanting to keep my mouth shut to avoid shame. But I knew from the no-nonsense tone of his voice that he was not a patient person, and that I would be damned if I did not do as he said another time.

Feeling fear take control of my actions, I reluctantly opened my mouth.

The feeling of his wrinkly and bony fingers entering my mouth was so disturbing that I cringed, and wanted so much to pull away in disgust and gag and retch uncontrollably and violently. But I forced myself to remain still, trying not to think of the uncomfortable feeling of his fingers and the worrisome thoughts of what would happen when he discovered that I had no obol.

I spoke too soon for the latter, for he pulled his fingers out of my mouth then (to my slight relief!) and looked at me with a frown. Again, I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat, looking up at him in fear.

"You do not have a silver obol to pay me…" he said aloud, disapproval clear in his gravelly voice and his hard but emotionless gaze.

I did not reply, unable to find words to come to my heavy tongue.

Charon continued to speak, still looking at me with a look that struck fear within me. "For you do not have means to pay me for your voyage across the river Styx… you will not be allowed to enter my ferry... You shall be placed here on this bank of the river… left to wander for one hundred years…"

"No," I trembled, my voice coming out in a rush of panic. "No, please don't. I beg of you," I pleaded frantically, feeling myself shake in worry.

There was no shift in Charon's expression, and he continued to look at me with a hard emotionless stare. "No…" he intoned simply. "By the laws of the Underworld... you will be forced to wander here until a hundred years have passed… Begging and pleading will not change anything of the decision made…"

Charon then turned, preparing to row the ferry away from the banks and across the river Styx to bring the souls aboard to their judgement. It was then I allowed panic to take over me completely.

"NO, PLEASE!" I cried aloud frantically, desperation clearly heard. "I BEG OF YOU! PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ME HERE!"

Charon turned back to me sharply, and I immediately saw the thunderous look that was now etched onto his ancient features. The look of irritation and anger on his face effectively silenced me, and a new wave of fear took over me then, making me shake uncontrollably.

"Do you not hear my words?..." he seethed in a low growl of his gravel voice. "I already said…"

"Charon, wait."

The new voice that appeared out of nowhere silenced both me and the ferryman immediately, and both of us turned our heads in the direction of the voice.

It was then I saw him.

Nearby the ferry, a deathly pale man with black wings flew down and descended onto the river bank. He had chalky white skin, ash-white hair that fell to his waist and was tied back, and ash-grey eyes that looked so very calm and neutral. His pale features contrasted greatly from the pair of black-feathered wings on his back, which were now folding itself and disappearing from sight, maybe having dissolved into the pale skin of his back.

Fixing his eyes on mine, he approached me, moving smoothly with fluidity that I could not help but gaze in admiration and awe.

I did not know who he was, but I think I did.

"Thanatos…" Charon said the man's name, having confirmed my suspicions. "What is the meaning of this?..."

Thanatos, the very God of Death and the minister of the Underworld, came to a stop right in front of me, but then turned to Charon. "This one is a special case, Charon," he answered. "Our lord gives command that she be allowed to cross regardless."

Hearing that, I was taken aback with surprise. The same could not be said for Charon though, whose face also became even more etched in disapproval.

"But she does not have a silver obol to pay for crossing Styx…" the grim ferryman replied in reason. "Does our lord say why should we allow her an exception?..."

It was then Thanatos looked at me in the eye. Holding his gaze, I could not help but be so entranced by how beautiful and magnificent he looked despite being Death itself, and I began to feel a confusing great attraction towards him and I wanted so badly to be close to him and feel him. But just the thought that he really was Death made me look away, terrified of his presence near me, regardless of the nagging desire that was growing.

I could still feel his gaze on me as he said to Charon, "She is Ariadne, the mortal wife of the Olympian, Dionysus."

At the mention of my husband, I cringed internally, and something deep inside my lifeless body wanted so badly to weep right now, for I really missed my husband terribly and was so pained that I had to be parted from him so suddenly. I also began to feel guilt that I had been so attracted to Thanatos for that short moment when I knew that I truly yearned immensely for my Dionysus.

Meanwhile, the information of myself caused a change in Charon's stoic expression. A look of surprise slowly etched onto his features, and he looked at me in somewhat disbelief, as if he could not believe that I was Dionysus' wife. To be honest, I could not blame him, for who else would believe that a mortal woman would have been married to a god when she herself was not immortal, and dead for that matter?

A few seconds of silence passed before Thanatos suddenly remarked, "It is the king's orders, Charon. We must not waste time."

A gruff 'hmph' sounded from Charon as he continued to look at me skeptically, but then he grunted, "Very well…"

Relief flooded over me, but I still felt the tension of the exchange. I stayed rooted onto the ground I was standing on, feeling solid as a rock from the tension. I tried to get myself to calm down, and I managed to move when Thanatos beckoned me to get on board the ferry.

I averted my gaze from Charon's face, not wanting to see the look of disapproval and annoyance on his grim features. I took a seat in an empty spot of the ferry, trying hard to ignore the stares of the other souls on board as I maintained my sight on my bare feet. From the corner of my eye, I saw that Thanatos had boarded the ferry as well, coming to stand beside me.

Finally, Charon rowed off. He ferried at a pace that was not too fast and not too slow, the dark waters of the river rippling as the ferry glided smoothly on top of it. I could almost hear the ripples of the water echoing throughout our surroundings, and the almost non-existent faint sound of the fog floating above it around our heads. I looked down my side at the river below, and was taken aback by the fact that I could not see my reflection in the dark waters. Not even my shadow or the outline of my silhouette was shown.

The ride on the ferry was full of tense silence, coming both from me and the rest of the souls on board. We did not look at each other, instead caught up in our own array of thoughts. But even if no words were exchanged between the lot of us, I had a feeling that our minds was plagued with the same thought.

What would happen when we stand face-to-face with the God-King of the Underworld himself?

The thought of meeting the one god that all of us had learned from young to fear was enough to make quaver in fright and dread.

All of a sudden, I felt the ferry hit a bump, and I looked up to realize that we had reached the other side of the river. I was surprised, not expecting the ride to be over so soon. But then again, I may have been so lost in my own world that I might not have realized how much time exactly had passed by.

One by one, the souls started to get off the ferry and onto the land that seemed to be overshadowed by more fog, which seemed to be a constant element here in the Underworld. I waited until the rest of them had gotten off, before getting off myself, relieved that I did not have to be so close to Charon anymore (I swear that he had been glowering at me throughout the ride).

When my bare feet touched the dry and dusty ground, I was about to follow the others, who were walking away into the fog to more areas unknown. But before I could, I heard Thanatos call me out from behind me.

"Wait."

On command, I stopped myself from taking a step and turned to look at him. The God of Death was looking at me neutrally, and I noticed Charon starting to row away back to the other side of Styx.

I did not speak, keeping quiet and waited to hear what he had to say.

"You are a special case," he said to me informatively, approaching me at a slow pace. "And therefore, you require immediate judgement."

I felt confusion arise in me then, wondering what he had meant by 'immediate judgement'. But before I could ask him a question regarding the matter, Thanatos extended a hand and placed the tip of his pale pointer finger right in the middle of my forehead.

Darkness took over me then.

* * *

Author's Note:

I know I have more than five stories that takes place in the Underworld, but this has got to be one of the most difficult Underworld scenes I have written, mainly because this is the first time I wrote of the Underworld from a mortal's perspective. Many research had been put into this chapter. In addition, the scene where Ariadne had been very attracted to Thanatos is a nod towards the fact that Thanatos had been described to be a very beautiful person - despite being Death - so that he would be able to attract souls of the deceased to follow him to the Underworld. The deities are not really affected by his beauty, considering that all of them are beautiful, but since Ariadne is a mortal, she would feel an intense desire towards him immediately.

I guess you could say that Ariadne had either fallen in love or lust with Thanatos for that very brief short moment. But of course, her heart - regardless of whether it was still beating or not - would always belong to Dionysus.

So finally we come to the Underworld in this fanfiction! I can't wait for the next chapter, where it would mark the first appearance of two _very _special characters, and one of them would be a new friend of Ariadne in her life in the Underworld. Can anyone guess who are those two that I am talking about ;)

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	31. PART 2: Chapter 11

_**Part 2: Chapter 11**_

Dionysus

Out of all the places I could have chosen to go, I chose the most unlikely place I thought I would ever find myself coming back to.

It was not my revelry site, or Mount Olympus.

Instead, I found myself on the beach of Naxos, at the very place where I had met my wife for the first time seven years ago.

Apollo's sun had long set, and Artemis' moon was high up in the dark night sky, shining a radiant and luminous silver-white glow even through the thickness of the cold and dark clouds. The calm feeling of the moonlight shining upon me complimented the chill I felt from the autumn air. The area was silent, save for the cold night breeze in the air and the sounds of ice cold waves crashing upon the powdery white sand. I was thankful for the calm and peacefulness of the quietness of the beach right now, for it gave me the calm and peacefulness I wanted to sorrow to myself in.

I sat down at the beach, where the water of the ocean would reach its end on land, gazing out at the inky black ocean that glittered and sparkled on the surface of its waters from the silver moonlight. Where I sat, I was wrapped up completely in thick coats of pelt and fur to keep myself warm. But I found the action to be completely pointless, for I still felt a chill come from within me from my pained heart.

To my pained heart, I was hugging Corona above my heart, underneath the wraps I had donned. The silver-gold metal of the crown and its diamond stones were as cold as ice to my fingertips, freezing me where my skin touched it.

But I did not care.

The coldness of Corona could not compare to the coldness of my heart.

* * *

Ariadne

I found myself in a place where there was nothing but shadowy darkness. I did not seem to be in some sort of room, and I began to doubt if I was even still in the Underworld. From what it looks like, I seemed to be in some sort of abyss of nothingness.

It was so dark that I could not see my own hand even in front of my own face, and that made me frightened. What sort of place was so very dark that one could barely make out anything in it? This place – wherever it was – had nothing humane about it, and it held that strange aura of otherworldly characteristics.

But all of a sudden, three flashes of white light appeared right before my very eyes. It was so sudden and unexpected that I was greatly taken aback. I think I must have screamed in shock, although I was not entirely sure if I had even made a noise, as I instinctively covered my eyes with my hands, attempting to block out the blaring lights from my eyes to prevent hurting them from the sensitivity to the new brightness out of this heavy darkness.

After a while of calming myself down and bracing myself for what was going to happen to me at that very moment, I slowly but hesitantly pulled my hands away from eyes, allowing them to slowly get used to the three forms of light right in front of me.

When my vision finally adjusted, I realized then that the three forms of light were not mere creatures of etherealness, but it actually had the forms of three men.

Out of the three men, there were two that I did not seem to know who they were, although I had a nagging feeling that I had seen the man standing on my left before, from a very long time ago in my previous life, but I cannot seem to fully recall who he was.

However, it was the man in the middle that completely caught my attentions. Seeing the familiar face of the man made me freeze in my place, if I had not done so yet. A wave of shock and surprise washed over me, combined with the feeling of fear and bitterness at the memory of the very last time I had seen him.

And the time when I had last seen him was in the throne room of the palace of Crete, at the very moment where he announced in a dangerous mixture of rage and fury that he had stripped my titles as the Princess of Crete and the guardian of the Labyrinth, disowned me as his daughter, and sentenced me to be executed for crimes of treason.

Memories came rushing back to me then, but they were nothing but bad, painful and sad memories.

Had my heart still continued to beat, I was sure that it would react very violently towards this situation. But through my sudden mess of emotions, I managed to say one word; a word I had not said in a very long time.

"Father?"

* * *

Dionysus

"Why her?..." I questioned to myself in a murmur to no one in particular, my voice heavy with confusion and sorrow. "Why her?..."

This was not the first time I had asked that question to myself and to nothing. That question – that damned question – plagued me since I had returned to my revelry site from the ill-fated duel in front of the gates of Argos. I know that my mind should have been filled with thoughts of what Theseus would have done next, and what the Olympians would think of it. But I found that I could think of nothing but Ariadne.

"Why her?..." I asked again to the cold night air, my eyes trailing upwards to look up at the faint image of the moon that was being blocked by clouds. The only answer I got was a cold wind that was breezing around me, ruffling my mess of hair wildly.

"Why her?..." I questioned as the tears started to fall, my heart aching in the pain.

* * *

Ariadne

It had been such a very long time since I had last seen him in my previous life, and I realized then that he now looked slightly more different than when I had last saw him.

Last time, before the whole Labyrinth fiasco had started, he was a man who radiated power and authority, but was still kind and friendly to his subjects, the citizens of Crete. It was seen easily on his face that, although he was King, one would still be able to approach him and have a friendly conversation with him, be it that they kept in mind that he was their ruler and they show him the respect.

However, now he was far from that sort of person with that sort of friendly and approachable look. Though he still looked to be the man with power and authority, there was also a daunting look that showed that he was someone to be feared. It was terrifying, for I have never once seen him look to be so fearsome, except that last time I saw him.

His intimidating gaze of his hard and dark eyes seemed to bore right into my soul – literally – and it caused me to feel a tremble of fright to run through my lifeless body. His eyes were calculating and judgmental, looking at me as though he was studying a person guilty of a crime.

Was this what became of him during the last seven years?

At that moment, I wondered if that was even truly my father I was looking at.

* * *

Dionysus

After what seemed to be long time, I finally got up from sitting on the sand and started to walk along the ocean, the winds continuing to breeze past me in their icy coldness. I could hear the soft pressing of the sand under the soles of my boots; the only sounds made by me in the quietness of this moment.

As I walked and caressed the metal of Corona with the pads of my thumbs, many memories came flashing to my mind. Being that I was in the very place where my memories had taken place, there was no doubt that I was actually thinking about the very first time I had met Ariadne.

I recalled everything so very clearly that it was like as though I was reliving those moments all over again.

I remembered seeing Ariadne for the very first time, hiding in the forest when I heard her voice of distress. I remembered how awestruck I was when I saw, for the very first time, her beauty. I remembered how she had never left my mind after I had seen her, and how I was so ridden with the desire to get to know her. I remembered when I had first met her in the dead of night, giving half-answers to her questions. I remembered how she had been so afraid and wary of me at first, before she gradually warmed up to me. I remembered the times I spent with her where she had taken refuge in Artemis' grove, giving her the company she craved for and the protection I had promised to myself I would give her. I remembered the day she had been attacked by the satyr, and how I saved her despite the fact that it had ultimately revealed my true identity of a god to her.

Finally, I came to the most fondest of my memories. Memories of her accepting my true identity despite being angered about being lied to in the first place, and without using me for her own advantage. Memories of her joining my revelry in an attempt to stay bonded to me. Memories of her dancing gracefully around fires and among the thiasus with wildcats at her feet, as she became deep in the ecstasy that only wine could provide. Memories of us falling in love with one another, which led to our first night of passion. Memories of her accepting my marriage proposal, which had been the most happiest night of my life. Memories of her aborning my twelve sons, all whom I loved as much as her. Memories of our happy marriage, our love for each other growing with each passing day.

So many fond memories, and all centering her.

Unfortunately, no matter how beautiful and lovely and happy they were, in the end all of those thoughts were still just memories; moments of the past that could never again be relived or recreated.

As my mind became too engrossed in the memories, the first bits of snow of winter started to fall from the night sky.

* * *

Perseus

"You are bothered by something," Andromeda pointed out in a soft, concerned voice as her hands came to rest on my tensed shoulders. "What is it?"

I was pulled out my thoughts then, only now realizing that I was staring at an empty corner of our bedchambers where I sat on the edge of our bed. I had no idea how long I have been in that state, though I guessed that it must have been long.

Slim fingers grasped my chin and turned my head so that I was looking at my wife, who was sitting behind on me on our shared bed. Her blue eyes gazed at me in concern, which also etched her beautiful features.

"Is it about today?" she inquired gently, running her fingers down to my chest in a soothing gesture. Silently, I nodded in answer. "Perseus, there is no need to mull over it any longer," she said to me in reassurance. "You have won. The people of Argos will be safe once again, all thanks to you."

With a sigh, I replied, "But still, I feel remorseful for what I had done to him. Andromeda, you should have seen what his wife had done."

Andromeda looked at me in confusion at my words, wondering what on earth I was talking about. But I continued on, still deep in thought of the horrible memory of what happened just this very morning.

"She had sacrificed herself for him. She had intervened to save him, and had taken the blow of my attack. She was a mortal, unlike him, and she was vulnerable, but yet she would sacrifice herself for him."

Ariadne's sacrifice had indeed been the act of a devoted wife who would go against all odds to make sure that her husband was safe. Furthermore, she had done so for a god; despite the fact that she was of a far lower status than him, she had still saved him regardless. Such loyalty and devotion was so rare to see these days, and only those virtuous would have been able to have such traits.

Guilt set into me when I said in realization, "I had taken the life of someone who deserved every right to live. I know that I would have done so for the sake of my people, but I realize now that Dionysus – although he had harmed them with his curse – had never actually killed any of them. But I had. I was the first among the both of us to take a life, and I feel ashamed."

My hands found that of my wife's as I began to think of how pained and anguished Dionysus had looked when I destroyed his wife before his very eyes. I was then plagued with a thought of how I knew I would have been like him, had it been Andromeda in Ariadne's place.

"Ashamed…" I murmured to myself, feeling absolutely guilty as the haunting image of Dionysus' pain at the loss of his wife replayed in my mind. "So very ashamed…"

* * *

Dionysus

After so long of wandering the beach of Naxos, feeling little bits of snow pouring softly and lightly onto me, revisiting places where the most fondest of my memories were made and thinking back to how life had been like before she graced her presence into it, I finally returned to my people back in our camp.

It might seem strange that there was no revelry tonight. I would have expected loud noises and music and drunken laughter and singing to be heard, while everyone moves in the high of the ecstasy with the feeling of delirious joy from the sweet, intoxicating wine they would drink with so much gusto. I would have expected the whole place to be so full of energy that even the air was coated with it.

But when I walked into the camp, stilled swathed in my coat of pelt and furs and Corona still in my hands, I was met with complete silence. This was a first in the history of my revelry; we had been a noisy bunch for so long that silence felt like strangeness to us.

My followers were all outside in the feasting grounds, but they were not feasting. Instead, they were just gathered there, watching me in eerie silence. They cleared a path for me to walk through, and I myself remained mum as I walked past them.

I was led to the dais of my throne, where I climbed upon and took my seat. Seated, my focus was not on my followers standing on the ground, despite the fact that a layer of snow was already slowly building up, but by the crown in my hands. My fingers were still caressing the smooth metal and feeling the smooth cut of the eight diamond stones, thinking to myself of how the crown looked when it adorned my beloved wife's head of pale blonde hair.

It was the sudden appearance of a tray which held a single chalice of wine that pulled me out of my thoughts. I looked to the side to a satyr who was kneeling beside my throne, his head hung as his hands held up the tray.

"My lord," he began in a grim murmur. "All of us mourn the loss of our queen greatly. We shed tears for her and feel pain at her passing. We swear to you that we will gain our revenge upon the damned Perseus one day to avenge her death."

A heavy sigh passed through my lips when I shook my head in disagreement. "No," I told him. "We will not fight for revenge. It would not have been what she wanted. And there is no point when I know that there is a risk that I would lose the lives of some – or worse, all – of you. Leave it be, for my queen has passed, and there is nothing we can do to get her back."

The last part was what stung me the most that I wanted to break down and cry once again. I wanted to weep my heart out at the thought that there was indeed no way for Ariadne to be with me once again, and that she would never stand by my side any longer. The thought of being all alone without her made me quipped with fear and pain.

Absentmindedly, I took the chalice of wine that was being offered and downed it all in one go, relishing in its refreshing coldness despite the chilly air of winter around me. When the chalice had been emptied, I asked for another. The satyr rushed off immediately to refill, and I knew that he would do so again when I asked him for more wine as the night wore on.

With the pain I felt inside, this was not a moment I would like to spend sober.

* * *

Ariadne

My mind became filled with questions at the moment.

What was going on here? Why was my father among these men in this dark shadowy abyss that was absolutely empty and full of nothing? Why was he not speaking to me? Surely it was not because he did not remember me, because I saw a look in his hardened gaze that he knew exactly who I was to him. But yet, he did not acknowledge me, seeming to be treating me as someone he had never met before in his life.

But the most important question now was; why was my father in the Underworld?

However, that seemed to be a silly question, for I already knew the only reason he would be in the Underworld. It was the same reason for me at this very moment.

But that still did not explain the biggest question that confused me.

What was my father doing here?

From the very first second the three flashes of bright light appeared before my very eyes, I had never once spoken a word; not even sure if I could even speak. The three men standing right in front of me, looking stoic as they were, too did not say anything. They only kept silent as their gazes were fixed on me, all of their eyes searching and looking so very deep in thought.

All of a sudden, the three of them suddenly disappeared. There had been no indication on their exit; the light that surrounded all three of them suddenly disappeared like a candle flame being extinguished from a sudden gust of breeze. Immediately, I was plunged back into the darkness of the shadowy abyss.

Fear was about to set into me, when I felt like I was suddenly being pulled out of the abyss all so suddenly. I think I screamed then, but I could not be too sure. I could feel myself screaming, but I did not know if any sound was heard or not.

Upon impulse, I placed my hands over my eyes firmly, not wanting to see what was about to happen to me. And even if I did want to, I knew that it could be nothing but trouble. I could not feel any solid ground between my feet, and there was an eerie silence all over me In my non-beating heart, I prayed to the gods, the high heavens, and all the power that the universe possessed, that I will not be put into danger the minute this frightening experience was over.

For some reason, it was as though my prayers had truly been answered, regardless of whether I was dead or not. This was because I finally felt solid ground underneath me as I was brought by some strange force into a kneeling position.

I did not know where I was, because I still had my hands covering my eyes. But I knew that even if I did not, I was sure to not know where I was regardless. The only thing that I knew very clearly was that I was kneeling atop a soft ground, what could only be carpeting, and that I seemed to be back in some vast but enclosed room, only slightly more different than what I had first felt about at the banks of the river Styx.

But before I could even make a guess as to where I was, a deep, baritone voice sounded from high above me.

"Arise."

Upon hearing that voice, I tilted my head up, immediately making eye contact with two people seated upon thrones.

* * *

Author's Note:

Ariadne's confused as to why she saw her father and finally meets the two people I talked about in the last chapter (and had lied that they would make their first appearance here... well, technically they did... but no mention of them... DAMN IT, MUSE!)

Dionysus is mourning and is complete pain, and it looks like he's going to drink some wine for that. But would this lead to another problem?

And it looks like Perseus himself is wallowing in guilt. Oooh, wonder what's he going to do?

See you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	32. PART 2: Chapter 12

_**Part 2: Chapter 12**_

Artemis

By my lonesome, I stood on the balcony of one of the lounging rooms of the palace. I gazed up at my moon that shone full and silvery-white tonight high above the thick and dark cold winter clouds, which already had the small cold, white fluffs of snow falling from it, signalling the end of three months of autumn and the beginning of three months of winter.

As I stood quietly and admired my celestial orb, my mind began replaying everything that I witnessed in the room of the scrying pool earlier today.

A small part of me was in complete denial that whatever that had happened had truly happened. It did not want to believe the fact that Ariadne had taken the attack meant for Dionysus and had been completely turned into stone before being broken into many pieces by Perseus' sword.

However, I knew that I cannot deny what had truly happened.

All so suddenly, a deep voice sounded from behind me.

"I do not understand."

I turned away from my room to look at who was behind me. Stepping out onto the balcony, Zeus approached, his hands entwined behind his back and his eyes looking downwards in concentration. He said nothing more as he came to a stand beside me, turning his head to look at me.

Calmly, I simply asked, "Do not understand what, Lord Zeus?"

Keeping his gaze on mine, my father said, "About that girl. The girl who sacrificed herself for him."

I need not wonder who he was talking about. "What about Ariadne?" I questioned under my breath, a feeling of dread and worry slowly building up inside me, unable to stop from being suspicious of where he was going with this conversation.

"I do not understand what is it about that girl that makes Dionysus mourn for her so badly," Zeus answered in a curious frown. "What is it about her that makes her loss so unbearable to his heart? I know that she was his wife, although I have had no say in the union. But she was mortal. He should have known what the consequences of keeping a mortal as a bride were. They are far too fragile, and she was no different. He could have chosen any immortal woman of his preference, yet he settles for her."

For some reason, his question made me annoyed, but I was able to keep a neutral face to avoid it from being clear in my expression. But honestly, his question was quite a stupid question to be asked in my opinion. Furthermore, it was very insensitive. But this was Zeus I was talking to, and being insensitive was a well-known specialty of his.

Releasing a heavy sigh in hopes of extinguishing every ounce of desire to scream insults in my father's face, I calmly said to him, "What is there to understand in this thing called love, Lord Zeus? It makes people do things that may benefit or hurt others or themselves. What had happened to Dionysus and Ariadne is both sides of the same coin; Dionysus is safe but mourns for her death, and Ariadne has done herself a great deed by saving her husband from danger but at the cost of her own life. What's more, have you ever seen a mortal sacrificing their lives for an immortal? To think of such an incident would have been impossible at first, but what Ariadne had done for Dionysus changed all of that. She has earned herself good graces for being so willing to die an honorable death by saving the life of one of us."

Zeus stared at me, clearly awed by my words, and I fought down the urge to cheer in pride. I kept my head held high, displaying confidence.

With another intake of breath, I told him, "And Dionysus would not have any other woman – be it mortal or immortal – when he finds love in Ariadne alone. And he cares not for whether she was mortal or immortal. He only cares that she loved him as much as he loved her. But of course, it is clear that he feels guilt as of this moment, for his impulsive actions had caused him the life of his love."

Suddenly, I felt daring upon my last statement, and boldly asked him without a single hint of hesitation, "Have you ever experienced guilt for losing someone due to your actions? The same feelings that Dionysus experiences now?"

Zeus did not answer me immediately, nor did he after a few seconds. And after those few seconds, I decided that he had no answer at all. It was not surprising in the least for me.

In the silence that ensued after our conversation, I turned and walked away, only giving a slight bow as a show of respect to him before I did. I did not give him a single glance or another word before I left.

But just as I was about to leave, I heard him mutter a single name under his breath; what could probably be the answer to my question.

I did not hear him clearly, but I think he said 'Semele'.

* * *

Ariadne

My gaze came upon the man first.

The man looked – the first few words that came into my mind the minute I saw him – daunt, intimidating, and absolutely frightening. From the hard gaze of his piercing pitch black eyes – which was clearly seen even from the great distance between he and I – that seemed to strike into my very core, to the way he sat upon his throne of black and gold with so much power and command, it was all enough to make me feel like trembling in fear and anxiety.

But as much as he looked terrifying, I could not look away from his hard eyes due to the fact that I was as just mesmerized as I was frightened. It was true that, despite his fearsome expression, he was downright handsome and beautiful. With perfectly cut and angled facial features, a head of smoothed-back hair that was as black as a piece of midnight, pale skin that seemed to make him glow in the dimness of the room, and silk robes of dark colors that seemed to be more valued than my dress of leopard pelts, he seemed to be the very personification of handsome.

But however much I was afraid or entranced by his appearance, I eventually found my attentions directed to the woman sitting beside him.

The first thing that came to my mind when I looked at her – besides the thought of how extraordinarily beautiful and magnificent she looked, which ignited a small pang of envy and jealousy within me – was how completely different she looked from the man. She seemed to be the complete opposite of him in appearance. While he was darkness, she was lightness.

While he had fathomless black hair, her hair – which fell in graceful waves to her waistline – was a brown that, although still dark, was lighter than his. While he had black eyes that were completely solid, her eyes were a bright amber color that seemed to shine. While he was of a pale and alabaster skin, she was of a creamy complexion with a tinge of peachiness. While his muscular face and body were all hard and sharp angles, her slim face and body were all soft and gentle curves. While he wore colors of scarlet and black and silver, she wore colors of lilac and white and gold. While he looked at me with an intimidating expression, she gazed at me with a kind expression.

As I continued to gaze at the two sitting on the two black and gold thrones, with the woman's throne designed with beautiful and colorful jewels, I came upon the shocking realization that the man – no, _god _– before me was none other than the God of the Dead and King of the Underworld, Hades.

However, I could not fathom the thought that the woman – no, _goddess_ – sitting beside him was the Goddess of Spring, Persephone.

While I was still staring at the both of them, the frown on Hades' face deepened slightly, and he repeated his command with more firmness, "Arise."

Upon command and not breaking my gaze of them, I did as he said and stood to my feet, staggering slightly from minimal balance. When I managed to stay upright, I bent at my waist, bowing to them in deep respect. I kept quiet as I listened to Hades speak to me.

"Ariadne of Crete," he said in some form of greeting. "Daughter of Minos and Pasiphaë. Princess of the island of your birth. You stand before me and my queen today, at this very moment, to receive your final judgement."

Despite the fact that I felt my throat was too thick and dry to speak, I felt obliged to respond to him. So, I quietly cleared my throat and replied respectfully, "Great Hades _Chthonius_. I stand before you today to receive my final judgement. Whatever it is you have decided to be my final fate, I will accept without hesitance."

"Do you not pay your greetings to my queen, who is so clearly seated beside me?" he asked in firm disapproval, a hint of annoyance and irritation heard clearly in his deep voice.

At that moment, I panicked instantly and greatly, cursing myself mentally for my mistake. Quickly side-tracking, I exclaimed in a frantic rush, "Forgive me for my insolence and ignorance, my lady!"

Before I could babble on about how much I apologized by my mistake, I was stopped by soothing kind voice.

"Do not fret, dear Ariadne. I am not greatly offended by your honest mistake, and have accepted your apology," the queen told me in gentle reassurance, and I could detect a smile in her voice. Her words were what made me look up to see that there truly was a kind smile etched onto her rosy pink lips. I kept my sights focused on her sweet features, trying hard to not pay heed to the frown the king was giving me.

But the weight of his eyes on me was what forced me to look down again, just as he started to speak once more.

"Former guardian of the Labyrinth. Chosen under the command of your father, King Minos of Crete, to guard its only way in, and its only way out, and lead the fourteen Athenians who enter into it each year to their deaths at the hands of the monstrous Minotaur. That is, until you aided the demigod Theseus into bringing its downfall."

My insides cringed and tightened at the mention of the name of that damned Athenian prince from my past, who I still, until now, hold deep grudges against, piled up into one seething mass of rage and anger at the remembrance of what he had done to me. Despite the fact that it had been seven years ago, and I had an admittedly wonderful and blissful life with Dionysus and my sons and the revelry during those seven years, the wounds that had been inflicted upon me from that day – the day I woke up on the beach of the island of Naxos to find myself alone and abandoned – still pained me deeply.

"You were his lover for a short while, were you not?" Hades questioned me in his nonchalant voice.

I forced myself to get a grip as I answered, "Yes. But that is something which I regret immensely."

"Because he gave you empty promises of marriage and abandoned you on the island of Dia?"

I fought back the sudden twinge of pain and anger and took a deep breath to steady myself. Despite the strong hatred of Theseus that was starting up from within me, I managed to exhale a deep breath and nod my head.

Hades nodded once in confirmation. "Well, all of us have something that we regret once it is over. I, for one, absolutely regret letting the blasted demigod go."

I looked up at Hades in confusion, wondering what he had meant by that last bit. But Hades was effectively silenced from saying any more of it by a look of disapproval from Persephone.

Now that was certainly a sight to see. The great and fearsome God-King of the Underworld, whose reputation for being a divine being of absolute power knew no bounds, had been silenced by a look from a mild and docile goddess?

Indeed, that was strange.

Hades cleared his throat and continued on with the conversation with neutrality masking his face. "But it is with Theseus you had committed the sin of engaging in premarital sexual intercourse. And it also because of him you broken your family ties and abandoned them," he told me informatively.

"Only because my father threatened to kill me!" I shouted in defiance before clamping my hands over my mouth, mortified that I had done so without thinking. Immediately, I bowed, muttering out a long string of apologies for my rude outburst.

Somehow, Hades acted as though it never happened and just continued talking "What do have to say for yourself, for the mistakes you had committed?" he questioned me.

Silence ensued, allowing me to think over his question. Indeed, what did I have to say for myself?

With a deep breath, I replied slowly, "Of course, I regret them immensely, and sometimes I wish that I would be able to turn back time to undo everything that I had. Those mistakes that I had foolishly committed made a show of me being a stupid and naïve girl that does things upon impulse and believes the lies of others. I had made an ass of myself."

I sucked in another deep breath, bracing my heart for whatever I had to say next.

"And I am afraid that it is because of these mistakes that will earn me an afterlife as a plain shade in the Asphodel Plains, or a tortured soul in Tartarus. But whatever it is, I will accept it regardless, for it is your say, and I have none."

I remained quiet and still, waiting for Hades to start speaking once again. While I did, I tried hard to maintain the fear and anxiety that was growing within me, and did my best to maintain strength to be able to bear with whatever that was going to happen to me in the upcoming moments.

All of a sudden, it was not the voice of Hades that spoke, but of Persephone's.

In her kind and gentle voice, I heard her say, "My dear Ariadne, why do you fear for something that will not happen to you?"

That instantly made me look up at the King and Queen in confusion. What exactly did she mean by that? What did she mean…?

Persephone continued speaking kindly to me. "You need not fear of entering Tartarus, Ariadne. And I assure you that you will not enter the Asphodel Plains."

"Because you are not entering either of those realms," Hades finished for her.

I swear – for what had to be the umpteenth time – that if my heart was still beating at this very moment, it would surely stop now when I came upon the realization.

"Which means… Which means… Which means…" I breathed in shock, but I was unable to finish my words from the sheer disbelief of the realization that struck me as clear as day.

Persephone smiled at me warmly and her eyes shone with kindness as she answered, "It is because you are entering the Elysian Fields, where only the most worthy of souls are allowed to enter and reside in."

I allowed the news to sink into me, but I still could absolutely not believe it. That news was far too good to be true, and almost impossible to happen to me. No, there could be no way I had actually received an afterlife in the Elysian Fields, the realm where only the very good of souls resided in.

"You are probably wondering…" Persephone pointed out calmly.

Unable to bring any word to my tongue to speak, I simply nodded my head cluelessly, my eyes still fixed on the both of them.

It was Hades who answered my question, still maintaining his expression of stoic and nonchalant superiority.

"Ariadne of Crete, you had saved the lives of the fourteen Athenians who were sent into the Labyrinth on that fated year, and the killing of the Minotaur had effectively ended the gruesome ritual of yearly sacrifice that would have claimed the lives of more innocent Athenians in the time that was to come. Although it had been Theseus who was honored the title of 'The Minotaur Slayer', it was truly you who had put the events into motion. If it had not been for you, none of that would have possibly happened. Although you may have regretted it because of the consequences that followed, it had earned you good deeds for the saving of lives who would have been the Minotaur's future victims. And you were the wife of Dionysus, my nephew and a god among the Twelve Olympians. To gain the good graces of a divine being already gives you merit upon your life, which will follow you even to your death. However, the most important reason was the fact that you had died saving your husband from his death at the hands of the demigod Perseus. To sacrifice yourself for the safety of the ones you loved – and for a god! – was already the greatest deed that anyone could ever hope to achieve. There are not many souls who are as strong and as selfless as you, Ariadne."

I stood there, absolutely flabbergasted by the word of praise I was receiving from none other than Hades himself. As I looked at him, all thoughts of him being a fierce and cruel god disappeared from my mind. Instead, I had finally come to realize that he was in fact truly a fair and just god who had complete knowledge of the balance of justice and truth.

To think I would even think of such a shocking thing, but I was somehow glad that I did.

Suddenly, without another word, Hades waved a hand in the air, and I suddenly experienced the feeling of being lifted off my feet. True enough, I found myself back into nothingness. But this time, it was not of the shadowy darkness I had been when I first seen my father.

This time, it was now completely bright. It was like I was being bathed in a mixture of soft sunlight and moonlight, shining glorious and beautiful. What's more, I did not feel afraid in this nothingness. In fact, I felt an odd sense of comfort and security, like danger never existed here, and that I was guaranteed safety.

Enjoying this warm feeling that was starting to blossom from deep within me, I shut my eyes, allowing myself to bask in the glow of the light.

But it was the feeling of being in a wide and open space and the feeling of soft grass under the soles of my bare feet that made me open my eyes.

I gasped at what I saw.

Right before my very eyes was a scenery of beauty. There was a wide expanse of field that seemed wide and endless, with small green hills popping up here and there and everywhere. Its color a very healthy grown with large patches of colorful flowerbeds scattered everywhere across the green grassy ground. Like the scattered flowerbeds, there were also many scattered thicket of trees that held all sort of fruits and bushes that held many more colorful flowers. But what took my breath away was a huge crystal clear lake that glistened and sparkled, and also mirrored the reflection of the soft white sky that hung high above.

While I was completely in awe and amazement, my attentions were immediately directed to the fact that there were people here.

There were some that were dancing and singing on the lands, some that were swimming in the clear lake, and some that were just sitting together in groups as they chatted and laughed together. I noticed that there were a lot more children than there were adults, and they were all playing in many groups to their hearts content.

But despite all that, there was one similarity that everyone had.

All of them looked at peace.

And, for some reason, I started to feel the same.

* * *

Author's Note:

So introducing Hades and Persephone for the very first time, and the both of them were clearly not what Ariadne had imagined them to be! Speaking of Ariadne, she has been sentenced to live in the blissful Elysian Fields! But would she be happy, or would pain still linger in her heart?

Just thought I would add these two points;

1) Zeus' actions that he had regretted committing towards Semele was showing his true form to her, which caused her to die from fright and shock from the sight of his godly aura and his thunderbolts. Of course, this had been caused by the trickery of Hera.

2) If anyone read my old fanfiction _The Wrath of_ Hades, they would know what I meant when Hades regrets letting Theseus go. For those who did not but knew anyway, good for you.

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	33. PART 2: Chapter 13

**_Part 2: Chapter 13_**

Ariadne

While I continued to gaze and admire the beauty of this mystical place all around me, still unable to believe the fact that a place as beautiful and as ethereal as this could actually exist, I heard a familiar kind voice speak from behind me.

"Welcome to the Elysian Fields, Ariadne."

Instantly, I turned, and felt my eyes widened at the sight of the Queen of the Underworld herself approaching me.

Now that we were not in the dimly-lit room where I had previously been in, I could see now how absolutely beautiful she truly looked. In the soft light of this ethereal world, Persephone shone so radiant and magnificent that it was almost as though she was the one radiating light. Her beauty – one that looked so innocent yet so majestic – was indeed a sight to behold, and I knew that all women – which would partially include me – would be green with envy – green as the grass here, most probably – of her looks.

In my awe of her appearance, I made to curtsy in respect for her. But before I could, I was stopped.

"Oh, no. Please don't," she said kindly. "We are not in the presence of my husband, so we can be friendly with each other as we want. I think we should start with introducing ourselves to each other properly."

In a surprising turn of events, she came forward and took my hand in hers. I was taken aback by the gesture, but then was distracted by the friendly smile on her perfect lips.

"I am Persephone. A half-sister of Dionysus, which would indirectly make me a distant sister of yours through your marriage," she said cheerily in her musical voice. "I have heard so much about you, especially from Artemis, who is also my half-sister and a very close friend of mine. She speaks of you and tells me everything about you, and from her stories alone I feel like I know you myself. Of course, my statement would not be true, until right now as we see each other for the first time."

As she continued to hold my hands in hers, Persephone smiled at me with so much friendliness and kindness and warmth that I felt my heart melt. It was the kind of smile that was obviously genuine and one of a kind-hearted individual's.

But I was still so overwhelmed by the shock and surprise that I could only continue to stare at her, probably very flabbergasted.

Persephone seemed to have taken notice of this, for her smile disappeared and was replaced with a look of confusion and concern.

"Is there something wrong?" she asked me. "Did I say something to offend you?"

It was then I immediately snapped out of my stupor. "Oh! Oh, no, no!" I instantly exclaimed, feeling slightly embarrassed that I had done nothing but stare at her – sure to be in a weird manner – while she was giving me a kind and friendly greeting and starting a conversation.

I cleared my throat, feeling all too flustered already. "I had not intended to be rude," I shyly muttered in apology. "I am just… overwhelmed… by all of this," I said as I gestured to the environment surrounding us. "I will admit that I have never seen anything as enchanting or as mystical as this before."

At that, Persephone smiled once again, and replied, "Oh, yes. The Elysian Fields truly is a beautiful place, is it not? A wonderful realm for only the most deserving of souls – who have committed strong good deeds in their past lives – to reside in. Forever tranquil and peaceful, with no such thing as sadness or danger, this is certainly a place where they deserve to be in to spend their afterlife."

"And to think that I actually get to be here…" I breathed, my eyes going back to admiring the beauty of this realm.

Persephone's hold on my hands tightened slightly. "Of course, you deserved it," she said thoughtfully. "You saved Dionysus' life. Doing so makes you more deserving of being a resident of the Elysian Fields above anyone else. Do you know how rare it is for a mortal to be willing to sacrifice themselves for a god? It's almost non-existent, but you proved that wrong."

Even more shockingly, Persephone released my hands and came forward to take me into her arms. At first I froze, not knowing why the Goddess of Spring and the Queen of the Underworld would hug me. But I did not hesitate to wrap my arms around her just as gently, oddly finding comfort in her embrace.

It was a quick friendly squeeze before she pulled away to look at me with her smile still on her lips. "I hope you do not find this strange, but you honestly do not know how grateful I am that you had done so for him. You see, although we may not be full-blooded siblings, I still treat Dionysus as family and care for him as such. And for what you had done for him, it proved a good reason for me to take a liking to you. However, it is still so upsetting that you…"

She did not continue, pursing her lips to stop herself from saying what she was about to say. But even I knew what that would have been. Persephone placed her fingers over her lips, displaying humility over her statement. "I am so very sorry," she apologized sincerely. "I should not have…"

I stopped her before she could go on, telling her with a slight smile on my lips, "It is alright, your grace. I do not mind."

But she quickly smiled again, and told me, "No need for any formalities between us, Ariadne. You are the wife of my half-brother Dionysus, which makes you family as well."

_Family._

Oddly enough, that word made me smile, but also think.

Do I consider Persephone as family? Of course, it would be strange to do so, since I have never met her before this, and I had been so used to the mental image of her being miserable and pained and dreadful in the Underworld that to see her being the exact opposite of my assumptions – which was kind, warm and gentle – made me feel a bit strange.

However, I could not fight the urge to actually do consider her a family, for she had been so very nice and kind to me thus far, and I could tell from her personality that she would be friendly and very easy to talk to.

"Thank you… Persephone," I replied, smiling a smile that might mirror hers.

"Of course, Ariadne. However, I should return to my husband now," she told me with a tone of disappointment. "There are still plenty of souls that need to be judged today, and I should leave you to enjoy your new home. But I do wish to see you again very soon, and get to know you better."

She bowed her head to me kindly, and I returned the gesture with a smile. And then, before my very eyes, Persephone vanished into thin air.

Like she had said, I started to walk around the realm that I am now to call my home. To be more precise, it was the lake I went to.

When I had reached an edge of the lake, not far from a group of people who were sitting down and chatting, I knelt down on the grass and leaned forward, bracing myself for what I was about to see in the reflection.

I felt surprise overcome me when I saw that I was still me, but still so very different. I realized why, and it was because I now looked younger.

I could clearly see how many years had been taken off my looks. No more were the lines of age that used to crease my face, and my skin was now smooth with youth. In fact, I had gone from looking like a woman to a girl again.

I could not deny the part of me inside that was actually glad that I was young again. A smile played on my lips as my fingers reached up to touch my cheeks, relishing in the feel that it was silky smooth and flawless. As I continued to gaze at my once-again youthful face, I giggled in joy and excitement, feeling so very lively.

This was amazing. If only Dionysus could see this.

And then, all feelings of joy and excitement, and the smile on my lips, vanished in an instant, and more pain and sadness followed after, at the thought that I was no longer with my beloved husband. However, I could not bring myself to cry at this moment, for my conscious told me that I did not want to ruin the peaceful atmosphere of the Elysian Fields. Of course, this realm was of happiness and tranquility, and no pain came to those who resided here.

Unfortunately, that statement was not necessarily true, as seen in my case.

Subconsciously, I placed my hands over my heart and shut my eyes, trying hard to subdue the feeling of sadness inside me as I continued to sit at the edge of this beautiful lake. I kept quiet, somewhat afraid that if I opened my mouth, only pained cries would come out.

But I was pulled out of my silence when I felt a hand being placed gently on my shoulder.

"Why do you look so sad, my dear girl?" a soothing voice of a female asked from behind me.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and looked up to the side at the woman who was now standing behind me with her hand on me.

The woman looked to be about decade older than how I looked now, give or take a few years. But she was very beautiful – not beautiful as Persephone (clearly), but very beautiful in the standards of mortals – with pretty doe-like hazel brown eyes and long curly locks of dark chestnut brown hair that framed her face perfectly. Her facial expression as she looked at me was one of kindness and friendliness, and also concern for my condition now.

I did not answer her, simply because she was a stranger and I was not comfortable with talking to strangers.

She continued to speak in her gentle voice. "Are you new here?" she asked.

In response, I nodded my head.

"Is everything alright?"

I kept silent, not doing anything.

"Why do you look so sad? If you do not mind me asking, for seeing you sad makes me feel concern."

With a deep breath, unable to keep it to myself any longer, I did reply to her question.

"I am sad for I have parted from my husband, good lady," I told her in a murmur, looking away to look back at my reflection in the water with sadness clear in my eyes. "I am saddened for I feel so very lost without him, and I feel pained at the thought that I would never see him again."

From the corner of my eye, I saw the woman sitting down beside me, but her hand remained on my shoulder in a reassuring manner. I looked to her and saw her smiling at me in reassurance.

"Do not worry, dear one, for there will surely come a time where you and your husband will be reunited in the days to come," she told me gently. "All it takes now is patience, my dear girl."

Unfortunately, her words were so very untrue, and I shook my head in disagreement, feeling the pain overwhelm me again.

"You do not understand. I will never be with him again, for he is deathless," I exclaimed in a choked sob, feeling myself shake to control the sadness within.

The woman's hand moved from my shoulder to place it above mine on my lap. Her pretty brown eyes gazed at me gently, but I could see a hint of pity and concern underneath. Her lips were still pulled into a smile that wished to comfort me in this time of pain of mine.

"Tell me," she said. "Tell me if you wish, and I will listen."

So I did tell her.

* * *

Perseus

The city's temple that was dedicated to Dionysus was the last place I would ever think of setting foot upon.

It was in the silence of the night that I had decided to go to the temple myself. It was in the center of the city, alongside other temples dedicated to the Olympians. Going there was no danger, for the women who had been placed under the curse had now returned to normal, and had now reunited with their family members as they pray to their respective gods and goddesses for forgiveness and repentance for their cursed-induced actions.

The temple was completely barren, because I had commanded it to be so from a few weeks ago, when I still held disbelief against the god. The floor was littered with dead grapevine leaves coated with a thin layer of dust. The oil lamps had long been extinguished, and the sacrificial and offering temples sitting at the foot of the statue of the god was completely empty.

When I entered the temple, I made my way to the table where offerings were made. I wiped and blew away the layer of dust that lay on the surface before picking up the bowls and chalice that were resting on the floor beside it. When I had arranged the bowls and chalice on the table, I proceeded to pull out the things I had brought with me.

In one bowl, I placed small bunches of ivy leaves, some with its young fruits still hanging on to it. In another bowl, I placed the root of an orchis plant. In the last bowl, I placed a cluster of ripe rich dark purple grapes that I had picked from the garden of the palace. Finally, from a water skin, I poured in the finest of wine in Argos into the empty chalice.

All that I had set up were some of the offerings that were traditionally made for Dionysus before a prayer to him. To think that after what I had done to him, I would actually come to a temple and pray to him.

But I could not help it. The immense guilt I felt towards him for what I had done to his wife kept on eating at my soul ever since the moment it had happened. Even while I tried to push the thought away, instead trying to focus on the fact that I had managed to save my people, I still could not shake it off. In fact, it seemed to grow more and more with each passing second. It made me unable to eat, unable to sleep and unable to think. It was horrible, feeling it gnawing at my heart.

It was what drove me to do what I was doing right now.

As I knelt at the offerings table, I looked up at the statue of the god right in front of me. It resembled Dionysus slightly, but it looked nothing like the god I had dueled against earlier in the day.

With a deep breath released into the dark and silent air, I began to say all that I had been keeping in.

"If you are listening, please do hear me out. Even if you are not, I will still speak, for this is something I cannot keep to myself for long. What I wanted to say was that what I have done to you – what I have done to her – makes me wrecked with the utmost guilt. I had not done it on purpose; I will admit that you were my main target. But I had absolutely no intention to kill your wife. I would never have done that to her. But then again, I should never have plotted to do such a thing to you either. What I had committed against you was indeed stupid and insolent of me, and I now finally see that I should have allowed myself to be punished. What right had I to insult you, challenge you, and then take your wife away from you? I face what might be the biggest of all shames for I had done this to you, who I share the same father with. The Fates had weaved a terrible event today; for you to lose your wife by me who would end her life when she was still so very young. None of this – everything that happened between you and I and everything that happened to your wife – should not have happened; not to you."

With a silent deep breath, I clasped my hands and brought them to my forehead, my eyes shut tightly as I began to apologize in quiet mutters.

"I am so sorry, for all the wrong I had committed to you. I am so sorry insulting you, for challenging you and for hurting you both physically and emotionally. But most important of all, I am so sorry for the fact that I had taken her from you. She who was innocent and a loyal wife, I took her from you by accident in a blind act of revenge. I do not expect you to forgive me, for my sins are too horrid to deserve your divine forgiveness. But nonetheless, I will compensate you by allowing your rites to take place in Argos again, and allow your followers to practice your rituals. I will not allow any harm to come upon them, and will accept your acts. It is the only thing I can offer to tell you how immensely apologetic I am for your loss at my hands."

At that very moment I finished my words, something strange happened. It had still been dark the whole time I was here, because I had not made to set light up the oil lamps. But suddenly, a gust of wind entered the temple, and the oil lamps were suddenly lit.

Now that was absolutely strange, for what sort of wind gust could actually do the opposite of what they could do by lighting up the oil lamps in the temple instead of extinguishing it?

But I knew that this strange event must be a response to my words of apology. There was nothing I could think the strange incident of except that theory. Dionysus must have heard it me speak, and this may be his way of accepting my apology. But even if it was not, and he had not forgive, I could take this as some sort of sign.

With the thought of that in mind, I continued to pray to Dionysus.

* * *

Ariadne

"So you are the wife of a god," said the woman.

I nodded in reply, quiet as I thought to myself whether or not it had been a good idea to reveal all that I had just told this stranger woman. But then again, I was already dead, so what would happen if I told her?

But surprisingly, the woman took the fact with nonchalance.

Curiously, I pointed out, "Pardon me for asking, but you do not seem so shock, or even the least bit surprised."

She looked at me with a small smile, and replied, "You are not the first one to ever meet a god, my dear girl."

"Did you know one?" I asked.

The woman's smile turned sad, and she looked down at her lap as she twiddled her thumbs, "Had a son with one," she told me quietly. "I was his lover, and the act of revenge by his wife was the reason why I am here now."

That certainly did shock me, just as it made me feel pity for her. "I am so very sorry, my good lady," I told her remorsefully, feeling sad at the thought that this poor soul had died at the hands of a wrathful goddess.

She looked up a bit and smiled at me soft but thankfully. I smiled back, but then asked her a question that now aroused my curiosity. "What happened to your child, if you do not mind me asking?" I asked, careful to not make it sound to rude.

The woman gave a delicate shrug. "I do not know what had happen to my unborn child," she admitted with a sigh. "But I have a feeling that he is still alive, for a small part of me still seems connected to him."

She exhaled a sigh, before turning her head to look out the distance. I did the same, and was met with the sight of the 'Sun' of the Elysian Fields starting to set, with the skies turning a soft orange as evening arrived.

"It is going to be night-time soon," the woman remarked. "We should start settling in."

Uncertainty washed over me at the thought of having to spend a night by my lonesome here. While the Elysian Fields indeed gave off a sense of security and peace, I still quivered at the thought that I was alone, with no one else – no one that I knew – to give me company. But before I could be troubled by these thoughts, I felt the soft hand of the woman being placed atop mine.

"If you wish, you can stay with me, my dear girl," she told me with a kind smile. "You must be alone, but I am willing to keep you company. I too am here by my lonesome for so long a time, but it would be nice if you would be willing to stay. We can keep each other company."

The kindness and graciousness of the woman's offer was what made me smile, and I could now fully feel the safety of this realm. It did not bother me too much that she was still a stranger and I did not know her at all, for her kind and friendly demeanor made me sure that she was alright.

"Thank you so much and kindly, my dear lady. I am in your debt," I said to her with thankfulness.

She only smiled in return before standing up, also helping me to stand as well. I followed beside her as she walked in a certain direction, but it was then I realized that we have not actually introduced each other, which was silly for we had spoken of the most sensitive of topics just a while ago.

"My name is Ariadne."

She turned her head to smile at me kindly, and she then told me her name.

"My name is Semele."

* * *

Author's Note:

So Persephone and Ariadne meet for the first time, Perseus repents for his actions (by the way, this is his very last appearance in the tale), and Ariadne meets a woman who holds an importance in this tale! Can anyone guess why?

But while Ariadne seems to be about to settle into the Elysian Fields, what goes on with Dionysus up in the land of the living? How does he fare?

See you on the next chapter on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	34. PART 3: Chapter 1

_**Part 3: Chapter 1**_

And so the winter went on, bringing with it the powers of ice and cold. It was both a thing that was a beauty and a beast; the landscape was a breath-taking scene with the enchanting and mesmerizing pure white snow covering almost its entirety, yet it brought a harsh and cold death to those who would not be able to survive it.

But the harsh coldness of the winter that plagued the land could not compare to the harsh coldness of the pain that plagued a mourning god's heart.

In the distance, one could almost hear him crying his heart out in sorrow, pining desperately for the beloved woman that he had lost.

* * *

Artemis

"He still drinks himself silly," the voice of my brother commented as he came to stand next to me at the edge of the scrying pool. "He does not look like he is going to stop this state of wallowing anytime soon."

I did not respond, only keeping quiet as I watched the moving images in the all-seeing waters.

Together, we watched as Dionysus stumbled through a barren forest full of snow, staggering with messy movements and babbling whatever nonsense that spewed from his mouth that came from being under the strong influence of excessive wine. In our younger half-brother's hand, there was a water skin that had wine spilling periodically with each drunken step he walked.

However, the smile on his face could not fool me; I could clearly see the pain and anguish that still lingered inside him underneath the façade of drunk glee. Just watching him in such a drunken state of body and a sad state of mind made me both disgusted and pitiful at the same time.

Apollo tutted and remarked skeptically, "He should really get over it soon. This act of getting drunk to drown his sorrows is getting quite pathetic, not to mention the fact that it makes him look like even more a fool than he already was before the whole thing started. It has nearly been three months, and still he mourns for her?"

Hearing his snide remarks made me frown and look at him in disapproval. "Do not be insensitive, Apollo!" I snapped at him. "Dare you say such a thing of someone who still mourns the death of the ones they had loved with all their hearts? How would you feel if the woman you loved was suddenly taken away from you?"

I turned away to look back at the image of drunk Dionysus in the waters, trying hard to not let my anger at my brother's insolence get to me. Indeed he was our father's son; he could easily be as insensitive as Zeus was.

It was only a few seconds until I felt his arms wrap around me from behind, with his chin resting gently on my shoulder. "Do not say such a thing, my dear sister," he murmured sorrowfully. "You know that if I lost you, I would feel a devastation so great that I do not think I would ever go back to being myself. My life would be completely meaningless if you are no longer present to grace my days."

I sighed then, and my hand reached up to hold onto one of his. We stayed that way for a while, not finding the urge to be parted.

But after a while of both of us watching Dionysus still in his drunken state, it was then I said, "Do you not see that is how Dionysus feels right now?"

"Explain, please," Apollo responded, not understanding what I had meant.

And so explain I did.

"When Ariadne died and became lost from his grasp forever, it was as though his entire world had broken and shattered into pieces. There is a painful emptiness in the part of his heart that held the immense love he had for his wife. She was the only love of his life, and to lose her would almost equate to losing his own life. But because he is deathless, the memory of her dying right before his very eyes continues to haunt him. I can see it in his eyes, Apollo. He is haunted and scarred by that horrible memory, and the worst part is that it seems as though it is fated that he would forever remember it."

Next to my ear, Apollo exhaled a very shaky breath, and I sighed softly at the thought that I had managed to talk some sense into him regarding Dionysus. But even I am affected by what I had just said, and the feeling of pity I had for my half-brother grew tenfold at this point.

However, all of a sudden, a new feeling erupted within me. It was so unexpected that I was stunned by it. My mind became empty as I focused on that new feeling. A sense of alarm, a feeling of dread, and the sudden pain of one of my own. It all meant only one thing.

One of my followers was in trouble.

Without a second thought, I impulsively shook Apollo off of me and turned away to stride hurriedly out of the throne room, the urgency in me driving me to hurry up.

"Sister?" I heard Apollo exclaim from behind me, overtly concerned and worried of my sudden change of behavior.

Without turning around to look at him, I replied loudly, "I must leave, Apollo. I have some sudden urgent matters to attend to immediately."

It was then I took off running through the hallways, the sudden uncomfortable feeling that had appeared inside me out of the blue growing with each passing second, making my heart heavily filled with a new sense of dread.

* * *

Ariadne

Time seemed to be an insignificant matter in the Elysian Fields. Nobody thought of it, and nobody cared of it. Because of that, it mattered little to any of the residents in the Elysian Fields about how long each of them had been here. It may have mattered from the beginning of their time after their death, but after a while, they just let go of the thought and lived the new life. Because honestly, who would care about how long they would have when they have already passed on from the world of the living?

It was the same thing for me as well. At this very moment, I do not exactly how long it has been since I had first arrived in the Elysian Fields. It could have been days, weeks, months, or even years. But it did not matter to me, for I was now still in my current state of youth, no process of aging or developing taking place within me anymore.

I was still staying with Semele in her small but quaint and comfortable house that was located at the base of some hills near the lake. I spent all my time with her, doing chores such as collecting the ever-bountiful harvests of fruits and vegetables, sewing and preparing home-cooked meals that was to be shared among ourselves or with the other friendly residents. Other than that, we also did have fun, such as singing, dancing, swimming in the lake, and chatting with the other residents who were ever so kind and friendly. We also did needlework together while telling each other stories of our previous life (excluding all the bad events that befell upon us).

As our time together went on and on, our bond grew stronger and stronger, and I had come to the point where I thought of Semele as a mother. She, in return, treated me like a daughter.

Sometimes, even Persephone would come to visit me, bringing her aura of warmth and brightness. At first, I had been nervous for being in the presence of the Queen, but overtime I grew more and more comfortable spending time with her, and indeed I had come to think of her as the sister that she always thought of me as.

Throughout my entire time here, it has been nothing but a comfortable bliss. But of course, it did not mean I had forgotten about what pained me the most. Now was such a time when I was by my lonesome as I sat in a meadow full of multi-colored flowers, for I liked to have some time to myself so that I could think of all that had happened to me. But of course, my thoughts then directed back to my husband.

But before I could start to feel pain, I was suddenly aware of an approaching presence. Coming out of my thoughts, I looked to see who it was.

"Hello, Persephone," I greeted kindly as she came to me.

Persephone smiled back and replied her hello to me. Then, she came to settle beside me among the flowers, and her hands started to pick flowers after flowers to make into a crown. Silently, I did the same.

However, I was noticing a change in behavior of the Queen. Usually, she would have been a very chatty type, always telling stories that would entertain me to no end or sing songs that would make me fall under the enchanted spell of her musical voice. But today, she was silent, with her eyes cast down focused on the flower crown in her hands and her lips pressed together in what seemed to be uncertainty.

It did not take me long to know that something was bothering her.

And so, I asked. "What is wrong, Persephone?"

Persephone's hands stopped weaving the crown, and she exhaled a long sigh. "Was I _that _obvious?" she asked with a small half-hearted smile.

With a shrug, I nodded my head.

Persephone sighed again and set aside the half-finished flower crown. Then she folded her hands gracefully on her lap and sat up straight. Her amber eyes clearly showed uncertainty, for she would not look at me, and I noticed the way they looked so contemplating.

"How should I tell you this…" she murmured under her breath, her voice clearly hesitant.

"Tell me what?" I pressed gently, my curiosity growing strong at this point.

Now, Persephone did look at me, and her amber eyes still held the uncertainty and hesitance, half-hearted about telling me what she wanted to tell me. I waited patiently, a part of me telling me that whatever I was about to hear was not good.

After what seemed like a long while of silence, Persephone finally told me, "Today, we received a soul of a young woman, who was sinful of attempting to start an affair with her stepson. She had manipulated her husband into killing the boy when he refused her because he was a devotee of Artemis, and later killed herself out of guilt for what she had done."

This made me confused, wondering why Persephone would tell me such a thing. Although it was indeed an interesting thing to talk about, this seemed to be not of importance to me and was no concern of mine. So, I inquired, "So what?"

It was then Persephone started to look so hesitant and uncertain again, but she did tell me after taking a deep breath.

"Ariadne… The woman was Phaedra."

I froze then as the familiar but long-forgotten name resonated through my mind. How long have I not thought of that name? How long have I not thought of my younger sister? How long have I been separated from her since that fateful day?

Too long, I was sure.

"P-Phaedra?" I question in a disbelieving murmur. "My sister Phaedra?"

Persephone pursed her lips and nodded in confirmation. "Yes," she replied.

That confirmation ignited a string of questions to immediately escape from my lips, because I was unable to sustain them despite the shock I felt. But before I could get an answer to even one, Persephone changed the topic entirely.

"Ariadne, that is not even the half of it," she told me in a grim tone. "I think it is Phaedra's back-story that will interest you even more."

"Then tell me," I urged in a rush, unable to contain the eagerness to know everything. 'Tell me everything that you think I should know."

Quietly, Persephone took my hands in hers, and she ran her thumbs gently over the back of my hands in a way to soothe me. But I could not stop myself from fidgeting with anticipation, wanting so very much to hear everything about Phaedra now. It had been so very long since I had last seen, heard and thought of my young sister, so of course I would want to know everything about her well-being.

"You see, Ariadne, Phaedra was not only convicted of the sin of attempting to commit adultery with her husband's son and planning his murder," Persephone explained. "She was convicted of something else. Something that involves you."

"Me?" I exclaimed, obviously shocked by this piece of news. "What wrong did she do to me? I know that she has done nothing! Please, Persephone. Tell me so that I will finally know!"

Once again, the look of hesitance crossed Persephone's beautiful features, but I could not have any of that at this very crucial moment. I wanted to hear it out of her right this very instance.

But thankfully, Persephone did not hold back, and she answered my question in a rush.

"Phaedra had plotted with Theseus to abandon you on Naxos, before marrying him herself."

Once again, I froze, unable to comprehend what I had just heard.

Persephone turned unsure when she saw the look on my face, but she continued on nonetheless, but with half-heartedness. "Phaedra had been in love with Theseus as well when he first came to Crete as a tribute to the Labyrinth, and she had been so very jealous of how you had gained his attentions at first. When you stole her away with you to escape Crete and your father's wrath, she and Theseus started an affair behind your back during the voyage. The affair was what prompted Theseus to choose her over you, because he found her more beautiful than you are, and he had started to tire of you. They both abandoned you on the island of Dia, because they did not want you to come between them. And afterwards, together they went to Athens, where Theseus was made king and Phaedra his queen."

When Persephone fell silent, I continued to be silent as I took in everything that she had just revealed to me. As I did so, a flurry of emotions started to react within me.

To name a few were disbelief, shock, sadness, anger and pain. Disbelief of what I was hearing. Shock that I would be hearing such a thing. Sadness as I thought of my sister's betrayal. Anger as I fumed at the thought that she had dared to back-stab me even though I had loved and cared for her all my life. Pain at the thought that it was because of her influence on Theseus that I was abandoned on Naxos in the first place.

My hands suddenly tightened into fists, with my nails pressing and almost breaking into my skin. No longer was I able to feel the air of peace and comfort of the Elysian Fields, only now feeling the spark of anger that threatened to erupt into a wildfire of rage. Now I felt the intense desire to beat Phaedra to a pulp to get revenge for all the things she had done behind my back all those years ago. I wanted to scream profanities about her and claw at her face and pull her hair and beat at her breasts. I wanted to her scream and beg for mercy as I drew her blood and disfigured her. I wanted to do anything that would make her feel pain and me feel satisfaction.

But all of a sudden, I was wrapped up in Persephone's embrace. The goddess had leaned forward to wrap her arms around me, and I could immediately feel the comforting warmth that radiated from her body. Funny to think that an Underworld goddess – no, _partial _Underworld goddess – could actually feel so warm like a ray of sunshine instead of feeling cold like death or hot like Tartarus.

I had not realized I had been sitting tensely until this moment, and I was then distracted by Persephone murmuring pitifully, "I am so sorry that all of this had happened to you, Ariadne… No one as good-hearted as you should have deserved such atrocities to happen to them… You did nothing to deserve any of this."

By some intuition, I began to think about all that has happened to me that fateful day seven years ago. This must be the umpteenth time I thought over such thoughts, but now was more different as I included the fact that Phaedra had been the lying, conniving betrayer that had been behind all of this.

I thought about how things might have turned out had I not brought along the wench, who I was now ashamed and disgusted of calling my sister, when I had ran away from Crete to escape my father's wrath. Would Theseus still have made me his bride, like how he had promised? Although I knew that the promises he made to me were false or at least half-hearted, but would he still have abandoned me on an island regardless?

But then I thought about what would have happened if I had stayed on the ship with him as we passed Naxos, where Dionysus had been leading his revelry in? Of course, had I not been left on the beach, I never would have met 'Dion', who would have been the god who would be my husband.

I realized now that, from all the nights of coupling I had shared with Theseus, which now made me squirm and shrug in disgust at the thought that I had actually shared a bed with that man, I was nothing more than an item of pleasure for him. Evidenced in how he had chosen Phaedra over me because he thought of her as more beautiful than I was, it showed me that I was nothing to him; I was just something he could replace with something better once he got bored with me.

Theseus was nothing but a chauvinistic pig, and I was now thankful that I had not stayed with him. Now, I was thankful that I had been abandoned by Theseus and Phaedra, because if it had not been for their wicked deed, I never would have met the one true person who would love me regardless of who I was and cherish me for all that I am despite my shortcomings.

It was at this moment that I realized that I had actually received a blessing instead of a curse from that fateful day. Since that moment, my life had been nothing but bliss and happiness, with Dionysus, the twelve great sons I had with him, and the revelry that I now thought of as my bonded family.

After what seemed to be a long while of silence, I took a deep breath before I asked Persephone, "Where is she now?"

Persephone pulled back to look at me in the eye, though her hands stayed resting gently on mine. "My husband had sentenced your sister to Tartarus," she answered, her amber eyes nearly hesitant at telling me. "She had been a wicked soul throughout her entire life; arrogant for thinking that she was higher than anyone else, miserly for not sharing her wealth with the unfortunate ones despite their begging, and cruel for abusing many and treating them as slaves. And for what she had done to you, and for plotting the death of Theseus' son, that is more than enough reason for her to burn in the fires."

I huffed haughtily, and replied in a sneer, "She deserved it then. And I do not think that I could _ever_ refer to her as my sister again."

A spur of moments had me latching onto Persephone's hands gently. She was clearly surprised by this, and even more so when I smiled. With a new calmness in me, I told her, "I am just grateful that I have gained those who are better sisters to me than she ever was."

At that, Persephone smiled and leaned in to wrap her arms around me once again. This time, I returned the gesture, now feeling very calm from her comforting aura which managed to make me put aside poisonous thoughts.

XXX

The very second I stepped through the doorway, it was already 'evening' in the Elysian Fields. The first thing I saw was Semele sewing a dress as she sat by the hearth.

When she looked up and her brown eyes met mine, she asked in motherly concern, "My dear, you look so worn out. And I can tell that something had been bothering you. Is everything alright?"

Quietly, I merely sighed in response. "I just had a lot of things on my mind today," I admitted to her as I willed myself to smile. "I'll be alright, but thank you so very much for your concern."

But Semele was not entirely convinced. With a concerned frown, she put aside her needlework and stood up from her seat before crossing her way over to me, where she promptly raised a hand to place it on my head, her thumb gently caressing my hair. With a gentle voice, she told me, "Whatever it is, I am here to listen, alright dear?"

When she leaned in to give a gentle comforting kiss to the top of my head, I could not help but smile, internally thankful that Semele was just one more person I was absolutely fortunate to meet in my life.

* * *

Author's Note:

So Phaedra's the one that had Ariadne left on Naxos in the first place! Ugh, that damn b***h! If I had a younger sister like that (which I don't - thank goodness! - because I'm the youngest - I would surely show her no mercy!

And it looks like Dionysus had lost himself in the alcohol! This is not good... Would he ever be able to stop drowning his sorrows in liquor? Would his pain ever vanish from the emptiness in his heart?

Tune in next time on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	35. PART 3: Chapter 2

_**Part 3: Chapter 2**_

Persephone

"You have been spending quite a lot of time with that girl, my heart," my husband commented from behind me.

In the reflection of my dressing table's mirror, I glanced at Hades, who was seated at the edge of our bed, where he was in the middle of taking off his tunic in preparation for bed. I continued to run my crystal comb through my hair as I inquired, "Do you mean Ariadne?"

Hades nodded, folding the shirt neatly and setting it aside. "It seems to me you have made a friend in her. I hope she treats you well and knows to remember your status as my Queen. If ever she insults you, tell me, and I will see to it immediately."

Hearing that, I rolled my eyes and returned to gazing back at my reflection as I continued to comb my hair. "Oh, you and your silly little worries, Hades," I sighed in mock exasperation. "Ariadne has been very respectful of me, and she is indeed someone worthy of being a friend of mine, for she is kind and gentle and has a strong will. I think that there will not be any issue with her."

And then, I sighed pitifully as I halted my stroking motions on my hair and set down my comb on the marble surface of my dressing table. "It is just a pity that a soul as bright as her had to die so young…" I murmured sorrowfully for Ariadne. "She was, and still is, such a good person in general… Why must it that the good die young, my love?"

I met Hades' pitch black eyes in the mirror, and saw him heave a heavy sigh. "You know I cannot question nor predict what the Moirai would weave in any individual's thread of life, my lovely flower. If the three sisters had fated that Ariadne would leave the world of the living at the mortal age of twenty-five years under those circumstances that had been set up that day in the land of Argos, then so it shall be. No one could, would and should interfere with the happenings, lest they dared defy the natural order of Fate."

I knew that everything he was saying was true; who else would no better about anything that has got to do with the threading of one's life other than him, who ruled over Death and kept the Realm of the Dead in order?

"I wonder how Dionysus is coping with all of this?" I wondered to myself. Getting up from my chair at the dressing table, I walked over to the bed and sat on the edge of the mattress. "I have a feeling that there is still pain that lingers in his heart. From all that Artemis told me about the both of them, I have come to know that Ariadne had been the only one Dionysus had ever truly loved. Just by thinking that the one we loved with all our heart be taken from us, that is so painful."

Suddenly, I was being wrapped gently in my husband's arms. I looked at him and saw him with an expression that immediately told me that he felt the depths of my words, for it applied to what we both experienced during those six months we were apart from each other.

With the thought of that in mind, I promptly leaned into his embrace, finding the comfort I could always get from him in a time like this.

"Indeed it is, my love," he whispered almost painfully as he planted a tender kiss to my temple. "Indeed it is."

* * *

Dionysus

I could feel the ecstasy rushing through my veins in the midst of my flowing ichor, urging me to move with carefree and nonchalance to my heart's content. But the burdening heaviness I felt upon my body protested against that urge, forcing me to simply stumble and stagger drowsily in the haze of the wine.

I laughed, finding it funny how I was walking like a babe who had yet to take their first steps. Even through the fogginess of my mind, I could hear and feel myself laugh so heartily with gusto, finding myself so very amusing for being so silly.

Suddenly, a flash of white landed in my eye, which instantly melted away when it touched my skin, leaving only a watery trail in its wake. The warmth of my body had melted the speck of snow quickly, and I laughed even harder at that. "Poor little snowflake!" I sang in a laugh as I twirled in mockery. "You cannot last when you land on me! Poor you! Poor you! Melt away before you get a chance to prick me with your icy coldness! Hahahaha! Poor you! Poor you! Poor you!"

I continued to spin with a spring to my step, creating around myself a whirlwind of snowflakes that had been falling down from the dark grey sky. With each bounce, I continued to laugh, hearing my laughter echoing throughout the cold, barren forest. Beneath me, the soft white cold snow that covered the entire forest ground shifted under my weight, causing me to feel as though I was sinking a bit as I danced to my heart's content.

But then, I felt thirsty again. All that laughing and dancing certainly has gotten me quite parched, so I promptly pulled out the water-skin that was hanging from the sash of my belt and brought it to my lips to take a swig. The taste of sweet and delicious wine immediately hit my taste buds, causing my entire being to go on a frenzy as the fogginess of my head increased as all I could focus on was the taste, texture and scent of the wine.

"AH!" I exclaimed in satisfaction when I pulled away to take a breather. "Now that is marvelous! This does truly call for another round of this fantastic drink!"

And so came another. Then another. Then another. Then another. Then…

Completely unexpectedly, my water-skin was suddenly ripped out of my hands while I was still chugging my round. I spluttered, completely surprised by that happening. Swallowing the wine that had managed to flow into my mouth, I looked up – I had not realized I was kneeling on the snowy ground until now – to see what had caused the disturbance.

Artemis stood tall and formidable in front of me as she looked down at me with a hard and emotionless gaze, the look in her pair of midnight blue eyes so penetrating that I could feel it reach the very core of my soul.

As I took in the sudden sight of her, I realized then that there was the lingering scent of smoke that wafted from and around her, still smelling so fresh although now slightly faded among the sharp scent of ice and snow and the dull scent of freezing bark. Other than that, I also realized that Artemis was covered from head to toe in black; black himation, black long dress and black boots. And it was also the fact that her eyes were rimmed red and her cheeks were streaked with wet trails that caught my attention.

For some reason, the thought that she had just come from a funeral popped into my mind. And so, with a smile played full on my lips, I asked nicely, "So! Who died today?!"

Artemis did not reply to my question, instead simply staring down at me with hard, stone-cold eyes. But to the water-skin that was being held captive in her hand, she squeezed suddenly, causing some drops to spill out of it and onto the snow, staining the white with specks of red that seemed akin to the colour of blood.

Seeing the precious wine being wasted away before my very eyes made me squirm, and I immediately made to consume the stains on the snow and the ones that were dripping out. But Artemis suddenly planted her boot-clad foot onto my shoulder and pushed me away roughly, making me fall onto the snowy ground on my haunches.

I looked at her in shock, just as she growled menacingly, "_Enough_."

"W-What?" I asked drowsily, not really clearly hearing what she had just said.

She still maintained the tone of menace in her tone as she said, "Enough of this foolishness, Dionysus. This has gone on quite long enough. You're wasting away, becoming a shadow of your former self."

This time I did catch what she was saying, and I snorted in response, "What do you mean 'becoming a shadow of your former self'? Was I not always like this before? Drunk and happy, with no bloody care for whatever in Tartarus is going on in this damn world?"

As I started to stand, Artemis dropped my water-skin to the ground and started to approach me, replying sharply, "Drunk, yes. But you are definitely not happy now. You're just making yourself think that you are by using wine as the reason, but I can easily see that you are far from happy. You are just fooling yourself, dear little brother."

I scoffed, "How would you know? And do not stick your ass where your business is not needed. If I choose to be drunk, then let me be drunk. Nobody can or will stop me."

Like anyone else who knew Artemis and her bad side very well, I expected myself to be immediately and painfully pulverised after the insult I had just delivered towards her, so I braced myself for the painful comeuppance that was about to me upon me.

But most surprisingly, that did not happen. Artemis stayed where she was, continuing to look at me hard in the eye. There was absolutely no change in her expression; she still maintained the composed look she had on when she first arrived before me. For some strange reason, this frightened me even more than the thought of getting beaten up by her, because I did not know what she was thinking of at this very moment.

Suddenly, her expression softened lightly, and she told me, "That would not have been what Ariadne would have wanted you to do."

Instantaneously, something in me snapped, and I could feel a sudden rage spark up within me just at the mention of _her _name in Artemis' voice

"Do. Not. Involve. _Her_," I hissed menacingly under my breath. "If you do, I swear I will…"

Artemis crossed her arms defiantly and scoffed, "What? What can you do? You're too drunk to even be capable of handling me in combat. I could take you down the minute you take just one step."

I felt tempted to challenge her at that, but I refrained myself, knowing better than to get myself involved in Artemis' wrath.

However, I still did not hold back my anger at her insolence. "Say whatever you want to say to me. Call me an ass or an idiot or whatever other colourful name that comes to your tongue! But do not – and I mean, _do not_ – say her name. Do not involve her in this when she has already been gone so long ago."

"But she isn't gone from you, is she?" Artemis suddenly remarked sharply, her tone becoming more angrier. "She is not gone from your mind, your memories and your heart, am I right? To you, she is still there. You only wish to cope with the reality that she is not, but you cannot help the urge to still feel her from deep inside you."

Hearing her words was like poison to my ears, and I found myself clamping my hands over my ears, hoping to block them out.

"Shut up!" I demanded hotly through clenched teeth. "Shut up! Stop saying that! Stop talking about her! Stop it!"

Things did not go as I wish when Artemis took a formidable step forward and bellowed firmly, "I will not stop talking about it until you realize what sort of mess you had gotten yourself into! Look at you! Have you even seen yourself?! Now, you are no longer the cheerful and jovial god that is the liberator of stress and the spirit of carefree life who dances joyfully and drinks to his heart's content! Now, you are just an irritable and pathetic drunkard who thinks that consuming wine to no end could actually drown the sorrow you feel over your wife's death!"

"**STOP IT!**" I screamed at her again, but this time I realized that there was desperation clinging heavily onto my voice. As I continued to press my hands over my ears more tightly, although unable to fully block out everything, I roared out loud in anger, "**STOP TALKING! SHUT UP! KEEP QUIET!**"

"Ariadne may no longer be alive, but how do you think she would feel when she sees that you had stopped to so low a level?! Do you think she would have been proud of you?! Do you think she would have been _okay _with seeing you turn yourself into ruins?! Do you think she would have let you go on with this?! Well?! **Do you?!**"

Afterwards, I did not hear any more of what she was saying, for all I could hear now was the cry of agony that escaped my lips and echoed loudly throughout the cold barren forest.

Immediately, I realized that I was now kneeling on the snow, my torso hunched over and my hands covering my face. As I stayed that way, I could hear myself choking out sobs from my throat and hot drops of tears that were falling from my eyes onto the palm of my hands.

"You are right, okay?..." I whispered in between sobs. "I do still feel pain for her… I do still anguish that I have lost her… And I do drink because I was unable to cope with the immense loss I felt…"

I could not hear Artemis, but I did not care and just continued crying out my confessions.

"It was unbearable… So very unbearable… I could not deal with the thought that I had lost her fateful day… I could not help but think that it was all my fault… Had I not accepted the duel… Had I not engaged with Perseus in battle… All of that never would have happened… She would not have been… killed… She would have still been with me now, alive and entirely alright…"

I pulled my tear-stained hands away from my face to plant them on the snowy ground in front of me as I hunched over some more. More choked cries escaped my lips as I bawled, "I deserve to waste myself away… As a punishment for getting her into harm's way… Why would I still want to continue singing and dancing and laughing and being carefree when I know that she would not be by my side when I do so?... She was now the reason I lived life to the fullest…"

Another chortled sob escaped me, just as I cried, "But now she is gone, and I no longer have a reason to live at all."

Silence ensued afterwards, and I was left by myself to cry my heart out and let the pain and anguish I had been trying to suppress for three long months wash over me like a violent wave breaking upon the shore. The only sounds that I could only hear were my constant sobbing and chortling cries. The only things that I could feel was the biting freezing cold of the snowy environment and the numbing emptiness in my chest where my heart would be located

But all of a sudden, I was suddenly enveloped in warmth. I could still feel the cold, but it was duller now as the new sudden warmth overwhelmed me. I was also realizing the fact that I was being surrounded by something dark, like a shadow.

In an instant, I realized that it was Artemis, who was now kneeling on the ground in front of me, and who was now embracing me tightly yet comfortingly as I cried. Her chin was on the top of my head, and she was running her fingers through the thick locks and tresses of my hair, shushing me gently.

"Cry, Dionysus…" she murmured in gentle comfort. "Cry if you must… Cry if you have to… Cry if you need to… It is alright… Just cry…"

And so cry I did, in so many bouts. In the midst of it, I found myself holding onto Artemis desperately, wrapping my own arms around her and burying my face in her collarbone as I wet her clothes with my sticky tears. Despite the row that I had with her just a while ago, I sought after Artemis' embrace for comfort, wanting so much to feel the sense of reassurance and protection that I felt within my older half-sister's arms, thinking it as some sort of anchor in the choppy seas of emotions that crashed within me.

Artemis continued to hold me as I let it all out, rocking me back and forth slowly in a repetitive motion that was actually able to dull my mind from the pain and sadness. She continued to hum and shush and whistle, as a way to distract and calm me this moment.

But even all that she has done could not fully clear out all that I felt within.

"I don't know what I want to do next…" I admitted to her in a voice that sounded choked and was undeniably heavy with sadness. "Without her, I feel like nothing… I don't have the will to partake in the enjoyments of wine anymore… I don't have the spirit to lead a revelry anymore… I don't have the heart to do anything good for myself… I now feel that my life really is meaningless without her…"

I exhaled a broken sigh and felt more tears start to stream down my cheeks. I pushed my face even more to Artemis' neck and held her to me just slightly more tightly, feeling myself about to break again.

In a voice that was as quiet as the breezing cold winds, I heard Artemis question, "Would you want your life to be meaningful again, Dionysus?"

Without hesitation, I nodded my head desperately. "But I want it to be meaningful… With her… With Ariadne… My wife… My love…" I told her in all honestly, with the bit of desperation heard clearly in my voice.

Afterwards, Artemis became silent while she still continued to comb her fingers gently through my hair. I did not notice her state for a while, being too wrapped up in my own current state of depression. But after what must be a few long minutes, I noticed that Artemis was almost motionless around me, and I could not help but be concerned.

"Artemis?"

As though the saying of her name had snapped her out of some trance, Artemis pulled away and looked down at me with pitiful eyes. One of her hands reached up to caress the side of my face, her gesture gentle and comforting.

She released a deep breath, and told me hesitantly, "Then… maybe… you should attempt to get her back."

That instantly threw me into a state of surprise and confusion, and I wondered what in Tartarus had made Artemis speak such nonsense.

"As much as I would love to do so, that is absolutely _impossible_," I muttered in bitter disappointment under my breath. "Ariadne is gone, and can never be reclaimed… She no longer roams this Earth we kneel upon, Artemis… She is in a place where none of us can reach her so easily… The only way to even get close to her is if…"

All of a sudden, everything started to click. The truth of Artemis' words started to dawn upon me, and I finally realized when she had meant when she said that I should 'attempt to get her back'.

"You cannot be serious…" I breathed in shock, unable to comprehend what I had just realized.

Artemis sighed, clearly expecting my reaction to be this way. But nonetheless, she began to explain, "It could work, Dionysus. You could travel to the Underworld and appeal before our uncle for her release. All you need to do is try…"

I shook my head in defiance, not really liking where this conversation was going. "Hades will never allow it!" I protested immediately. "He is harsh towards those who dare to think of such insolence in his kingdom! He would have my head if I were to appeal to him for such a request!"

"Hades is _not _an evil god, Dionysus," Artemis snapped in disapproval. "He is not as heartless as you would think. Trust me, I know him better than you do. He might actually see reason for your appeal, but all you need to do is just give him a good enough reason why he should allow Ariadne to be free of the Underworld."

Nevertheless, I was still not certain at the thought of venturing to the Underworld. I did not want to do anything to displease my formidable uncle who was the almighty God-King of the Underworld. I knew very well of how much of a strict and no-nonsense ruler he was, and I absolutely did not want to go on his bad side by asking him to actually release a soul from death. Such a thing was practically unheard of, and almost seemed improbable.

Before I could feel even more hesitation at the very idea, Artemis pulled me out of my train of thoughts, cupping my cheek so that I was looking at her.

"Dionysus… I know this sounds crazy…Tartarus, it sounds absolutely insane!... I don't even know why I would even think of such a thing!... It is so unlike me!..."

At that moment, she realized that she was babbling, and stopped immediately to calm herself down before speaking in a more calmer voice.

"But however crazy it may sound, I have a good feeling that this will surely work… Something tells me that, if you were to do this, good will come out of this… Hades may listen to you, and he may grant you your request… You may even have Ariadne back by your side…"

She paused to cup my face with both her hands so that our eyes were fixed on each other's eyes, and she finished her words by saying, "All you need to do is try, Dionysus…"

Artemis then spoke no more, and leaned in to give me a gentle kiss to my forehead before pulling back to rest her forehead against mine. The comfort I received from her closeness was overwhelming, and I wrapped my arms around her once again to hold myself to her.

As we stayed there on the ground, kept in each other's embrace, my mind started thinking of the plan I never thought I would have to do in my entire immortal life, but am going to do so for the sake of getting Ariadne back.

* * *

Author's Note:

Can you believe that I had finished chapter just 5 minutes before publication, and that I started writing this 3,878-word chapter in a matter of two hours earlier on? Ugh, I should stop procrastinating.

So I just realized that this is the first time this year that I wrote a Persephone POV, since the last time I had done so was last year for _The Reincarnation_. It feels kind of nice to have a moment with our beloved Underworld couple, don't you think?

And anyway, Artemis had finally decided to take action and stepped in to stop Dionysus from losing himself, and also given him a plan that is absolutely shocking and unbelievable! But Dionysus already seemed bent on doing it. However, how will he do so?

By the way, I know Artemis kind of acted like a total b***h in the beginning of Dionysus' POV, but this is her way to show that she meant business and that she wants to get it into Dionysus' head about the wrong he is doing to himself. Also, Artemis did actually came back from a funeral, which would be explained thoroughly in ...

The next chapter on Friday! See you then!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	36. PART 3: Chapter 3

_**Part 3: Chapter 3**_

Ariadne

While I sat on a rock at the edge of a stream, soaking my feet in the cooling waters, I finally said after a while of contemplation, "Can I ask you a question?"

Beside me, Persephone looked up from her own soaking feet to me. "Anything."

I twiddled my thumbs, admitting to her, "Well, I actually have more than one question. I hope you do not mind."

"Not at all," she reassured as she shook her head. "Whatever questions you have; ask, and I shall do my best to answer them in the best way I can."

Feeling rest assured, I nodded my head in understanding, and took a deep calming breath as I asked the first question on my mind.

"Back then when I was still in a black abyss, right before I knelt before your husband and you in the throne room, I came across my father. Can you tell me when, why and how did it came to be that way for him? Why was he given a special position in the realm of the Dead instead of going into an afterlife realm like me? Also, one of the other two people I saw was someone I know, but I could not remember who. Can you tell me who that is?"

"I had a feeling you were going to ask that question sooner or later," Persephone commented with a smile. "Well, it's good to know that I have the answer prepared for you already." She took a short breather before she continued on. "Your father is a son of Zeus, did you know?"

The statement took me off-guard. "Really?!" I exclaimed, completely flabbergasted. "I didn't know that!" Indeed it was something so very surprising and so very unexpected; this was my father we were talking about, and I did not even know that he was the son of the greatest god in the universe!

"He is," Persephone replied calmly. "A son of Zeus by the mortal woman Europa, the first Queen of Crete, your grandmother. When he died, his status as a First King earned him a place in the Underworld. A new system of judgement decreed by my husband, he became one of the first and only three Judges of the Dead. As for the familiar man that you had mentioned, that would be Rhadamanthys, your father's estranged older brother and your uncle. The one that five of your sons had pledged allegiance and served."

"Wow…" I exhaled in a breath I did not realize I was holding in until everything had sunken in. "I cannot believe it…"

Persephone only smiled in amusement at the current state of awe I was in. "What is your second question?" she asked as she continued to splash her feet about in the waters of the river.

I began to become nervous at the thought of the second question, for it was just something that made me curious but not something that I would want to ask so blatantly, furthermore when it was about her. I just pursed my lips and kept quiet, hoping that she would get the message and not ask me of it again.

But Persephone did not, for she then nudged me insistently and asked me again what the second question was. "Do not be afraid to ask, Ariadne," she told me gently. "I am sure your question could not be so bad."

"Ah… Well… I…" I mumbled under my breath, trying to find the right words to come to my lips as I tried to think of the best way to relay the question. Finally, I did, and I calmly but modestly asked, "I am just curious to know about your husband."

Persephone's eyes widened in surprise. "Are you being serious?" she asked in a gobsmacked tone of voice, the surprise in her voice matching the one that was on her face.

I nodded my head in confirmation, and then added shyly, "You do not have to answer if you do not wish to. And I am sorry for even daring to ask you such a question in the first place. Forgive me, if you may."

Persephone shook her head in response and exclaimed, "Oh no! Do not take my response the wrong way! I am merely surprised that you would actually be asking me about my husband. I don't think anyone has ever done that before. In fact, you may be just the first."

Then, bringing a finger to tap at her perfect bottom lip, she mused, "So what should I tell you about? You know what? Why not you tell me all the things you had thought him as first, and I will tell you if there are any similarities or differences between your assumptions and my first-hand knowledge."

"Sounds good enough," I said, and so I did.

I told her all the things that any other person who was still alive would expect the Underworld God-King to be; frightening, terrifying, cruel, dangerous and completely evil to the inhabitants of his realm of the dead. I told her how I had assumed that he would be a scary deity who would not give a care on who you are or what you used to be, for he would treat you as harshly as the next soul. And then I told her about how I was so surprised that, the moment I first came face-to-face with him, he was not at all what I had expected.

"Yes, well, everyone always has different opinions on Hades, but none of those opinions would even be close to the character he truly is," Persephone commented with a defensive huff and a slight tone of annoyance.

"Enlighten me, please," I beckoned her, and she did.

"First of all, Hades is not terrifying or frightening. He is just very intimidating and formidable, that is all. Secondly, he is nowhere near being a harsh and cruel tyrant. He is a ruler who is very fair and just, treating any soul who comes before him as the same, regardless of whether one was a peasant or the other was a princess, and also giving them reasonable sentences to their afterlives. Lastly, what people do not know is that Hades does have a gentle side of him, but he does not show it. There is a secret part of him – which only I am lucky enough to be able to witness – that would prove to anyone that he does still have a heart. He feels pity, understands pain and shows mercy on occasion. He is not entirely stone-hearted. But of course, he does not reveal this side of him too often, for being the King of the Underworld for how many centuries have enabled him to mask his emotions completely so that no one would be able to read him that easily."

To hear the Queen of the Underworld talk about her King in a protective and loving manner made me think back to all those previous assumptions I had of her and him.

I remembered how when Dionysus had first told me about the story of the creation of the seasons, I always imagined Persephone to be pale and lifeless, unhappy and completely miserable, as she stayed with Hades - who I had imagined to be horrible and sinister with a mean streak of cruelty and evil - as his stolen unwilling bride.

But now I saw that my assumptions were all false, and were all entirely the opposite. Persephone was not at all a withered flower and she was far from being miserable here in the Underworld. In fact, she definitely looked like she enjoyed being here, and I realized now that there has never been a day when I see her that she does not smile; she was even smiling when I was first being judged. And to think of Hades as cruel and evil now would be strange. Yes, he did look really intimidating with his daunt features and his air of authority, but there was not even one single trace of evil that marked his face.

However, all of that only fuelled the urge to ask my next question that I asked it so very suddenly.

"Do you trust your husband?"

Persephone was clearly taken aback by my question, for her eyebrows raised and her lips parted in surprise. "What? What do you mean by that? Of course, I do!"

It was then I realized that I may have accidentally made a (_huge_) mistake right there, and I immediately bit my tongue in punishment for my stupidity and ignorance. _You idiot!_ I insulted myself mentally. _How could you ask such a thing?! Now you've probably had gone and insult her greatly!_

I was pulled out of my sudden thought when Persephone asked, "Why did you ask me such a question, Ariadne? If you do not mind me asking, that is? What did you mean by that?"

I twiddled my thumbs furiously as I replied fearfully, "I was merely very curious. I did not mean it to be insulting."

I hung my head and cast my eyes downwards in fear of seeing her anger. But just as I was wallowing in the inner fear to myself, a warm hand rested upon mine, and I looked up to see Persephone's gentle look, instead of the anger I had been expecting.

"It is alright to tell me the truth, Ariadne," she reassured me. "I won't mind. I don't think I will be angry at you."

Still, that did not calm down my uncertainty. "Are you sure?" I asked, and the response I got from her was a nod.

"I am sure."

I heaved a long tensed sigh that had been building up inside of me. I forced myself to keep calm and relaxed, maintaining composure in order to relay my question in the best way possible.

"Very well, then. I suppose I should indeed tell you why. You see, I think I am not the only one who finds it strange that you would give your trust to him, seeing as how the relationship between the both of you had… started off," I told her meekly, trying as much as possible to not sound invasive or rude or insulting.

"Ah, I see…" Persephone replied in a sigh. "I had a feeling that you would think that way because of that." Before I could apologize for the question, she waved her hand dismissively, exclaiming, "No, no. It's alright. Anyone else would have done the same."

Persephone exhaled another sigh and kept silent for a while, looking so very deep in thought, trying to craft the her words into sentences in her thoughts before speaking of it through her lips. She pursed her lips, and sighed, and twiddled her thumbs, and sighed again. It was a while before she spoke again, and when she did, her voice came out sounding solemn.

"I know very well of the stories spoken of me and my husband in the world above. I know of how their songs and hymns recreate the story of our marriage's beginnings, telling of how he stole me from the aboveground and took me to the underground to make me his bride. But while I do not deny that all of that had indeed happened, I will deny that it never ended the way the stories did. I do not entirely yearn for the Aboveworld while I am here below, nor do I express hatred for him for what he had done so very long ago. On the contrary, I sometimes wish that I could be part of the Underworld forever, and I wish I could stay by my husband's side for all eternity. I do love the Aboveworld and miss its sunshine and liveliness, but the Underworld calls to me all the same with its own beauty deep within."

Suddenly, Persephone ceased talking, now looking as though she was distracted internally by something else. Her grip on my hand tightened slightly, and I gripped back just as gently out of intuition. I kept quiet, not wanting to disturb her in her seemingly solemn moment.

Just then, in a breath, she asked, "Do you want to know why I truly am content with living in the Underworld, Ariadne?"

Quietly, I nodded. And with a new smile playing on her rosy lips, Persephone answered.

"It is because I love Hades. I love him. Despite what had gone on between us in the beginning, despite all that everyone says of him being cruel and merciless, despite the fact that many people do not agree with our marriage, I truly and deeply love my husband, no matter who he is or what he does. It is our love that truly matters."

When she had finished her words, Persephone sighed and kept quiet as she continued to playfully splash her feet about in the waters. As she did, I took in her words and replayed them in my head, suddenly making a connection that came out of nowhere from deep within the regions of my mind.

"That's the same reason why I joined Dionysus and his revelry," I told her in a whisper. "It is because I love him. I had never expected that I would ever love him or join the feasting rituals of wine and ecstasy, but the yearn to be close to the god I had fallen in true love with – and the one who loved me the same – was what drove me to do so."

Persephone giggled lightly at my words, and mused, "Love changes anyone, Ariadne. It makes us do things we have never done before or never expected to do in our lives, but it makes it happen."

So true were her words, and I could not help but smile and chuckle as I nodded in response. "I could not agree more, Persephone."

I truly could not agree more.

* * *

Artemis

It had barely been a few minutes since I had returned to Mount Olympus when I had been suddenly collected by Hermes at the commands of Lord Zeus and was sent to the throne room, where I now knelt before my father.

He and I were not the only ones here. Standing at the foot of the dais that held the King and Queen's tall platinum thrones, there were Hermes, Athena and Apollo, who were all standing aside in silence. I did not pay any attention to them because all my attentions were fixed on my father who was seated atop the dais on the bigger of the two thrones, although I was very aware of the look of worry and concern on my brother's face.

I kept my cool and calmly asked with a respectful bow of my head, "Lord Zeus. To what do I owe the reason of my presence before you?"

Zeus had a masked look on his face which truly hid all that he felt inside. With calmness in his deep voice, he replied, "I am very aware of what you had committed, Artemis."

At that very moment, my suspicions of my reason here in the throne room were finally realized, but I only kept quiet and remained nonchalant, avoiding any of my emotions from showing.

"Convincing Dionysus to descend into the Underworld in an attempt to reclaim his deceased bride," Zeus stated knowingly.

"Yes," I answered, not even attempting to deny what I had done; I knew better than to lie when in the presence of Lord Zeus. "Indeed, I had done just that."

A quick glance to my half-siblings and brother allowed me to see their reactions to my reply; Athena's was contemplation, Hermes' was curiosity, and Apollo's was downright anxiety.

I looked back to Zeus just as he spoke once more. "What, pray tell, is your reason for doing so?" he inquired in genuine curiosity. "I never thought you would have bothered to involve yourself in the situation of Dionysus, for indeed I know you to always keep out and not mind of matters that do not involve you. Your presence was certainly not required for this matter that involved only Dionysus, but yet you would step in and give him such a suggestion. Why is that, Artemis?"

I was silent as I thought of what I would say to him, trying to gather enough reason and explanations to state my stand. I had to be sure that it was all good enough in order to somehow gain Zeus' agreement to the situation.

"Lord Zeus, I am sure that my sister has a good-enough explanation for her actions," Apollo suddenly quipped, anxiety and concern for me now getting the best of him. "Please spare her from punishment if there are any wrongdoings. I am sure that she had no intention to do so."

Zeus held up a hand, a gesture which silenced Apollo immediately. The expression on his face clearly showed his disinterest in whatever my brother had just said, for the words he wanted to hear were to come from not him but me.

And so I did speak, my eyes holding onto the gaze of my father's steadily without flinching from his steady gaze.

"Lord Zeus, I know that it is out of the norm for me to involve myself in Dionysus' situation. To be honest, I had thought to stay out of it as well, for this is indeed something that does not require my attention. However, I care for Dionysus as much as I care my twin brother and most of my half-siblings, and his deteriorating well-being concerns me greatly. I have never before seen anyone who would grieve over a lost love as much as he does, for his love for his mortal bride Ariadne still stands strong within his heart with no signs of ever disappearing. And to that, I felt the utmost pity for him, and I felt the need to help him in his current state of depression."

"And by 'help', you mean to send him on a descension to the realm of Hades?" Athena questioned with a scrutinising gaze and a raise of her brow. "I doubt that could actually help him in his cause. To appeal such a thing from the God-King of the underground realm is, by far, one of the most improbable things to happen, other than Dionysus finding a way to the Underworld on his own for he is not chthonic as Zeus or Hermes who are the only ones among us that are."

"I cannot help but agree with Athena," Apollo added on. "Bear in mind that you had given him the push to actually _think _of appealing to Hades to release the soul of this mortal wife of his. You seem to be giving him more trouble than help."

Hermes was the first to actually agree with my statement. "I think that I would have to side Artemis in this one," he proclaimed. "I find Dionysus' faithfulness to his wife to be very admirable, and for him to want to descend into Hades to get her back is a show of a great dedication to his marriage. Not everyone would be so willing to go to great lengths to be reunited with their beloved. Furthermore, I believe that if Dionysus were to be given a chance to give a good appeal, Hades might actually allow it."

I released a sigh of relief, and my eyes met Hermes' spring green. I mouthed a silent 'thank you' in appreciation for standing with me, and he nodded his head graciously. When I slid my gaze to Athena and Apollo, she was still looking at me with a neutral expression while he was looking away guiltily, most probably ashamed that he did not take my stand.

When I returned my gaze to Zeus, he was rubbing his bearded jaw in contemplation, looking at me in deep thought. "I see," he murmured to himself but can be heard by the rest of us.

All of us remained silent, waiting patiently for what was to be heard next from him.

"The rest of you may go. I wish to have a private discussion with Artemis."

Apollo looked as though he was ready to protest, for I knew very well that he does not really like the thought of me being left alone with our father, and that he was worried that something terrible may happen to me and he would be unable to stop it. But a push from Athena was what made him reluctantly walk out of the room, with Athena and Hermes following suit.

When the sound of the doors closing behind them had sounded, I rose from kneeling on the floor, just as Zeus had descended the steps of the dais and was now standing before me.

"Father, I am truly sorry if what I had done displeases you," I apologized promptly with a bow of my head. "But I am not content to leave Dionysus alone in this time of need. It is either I help him do something that could help or he wastes himself away in the poison of the wine he holds patronage over. To see him suffer from the pain that dwells within his heart from the loss of his love is, admittedly, quite too much for me to bear."

When I had finished my words, Zeus said nothing and continued to look at me neutrally. But just then, he raised a hand and placed it gently on my shoulder, giving me a gentle squeeze. At the same time, a smile was starting to play on his lips.

"There is no need for you to worry, dear daughter. I will not place punishment on you for doing so. In fact, I am glad that you did."

A sense of shock overcame me like a strike of a lightning bolt, sending my nerves on an end and me in a state of confusion. I clearly did not expect this to happen; I did not expect him to say that he was 'glad'. I could only stare at him, wondering why this was so.

Zeus saw my state and gave a small half-hearted smile. In a melancholic voice that took me by surprise once again, he said, "You had asked me before if I have ever experienced guilt for losing someone because of what I had done."

To that, I nodded my head, recalling clearly the conversation I had with him on the balcony that day three months ago.

With a sigh, he admitted sorrowfully, "As a matter of fact, I do, and I regret it with every part of my being. I will be honest with you now, and tell you that I actually do not want Dionysus to go through the same mistakes I had done and regret it for the rest of his life. But now that you had given him the push he needed, he may be able to repent and undo his mistakes."

The smile on his lips grew slightly more, and he thanked me graciously, "Thank you, Artemis. Your kind and caring heart that helps your loved ones in need will indeed make you a goddess of all goddesses."

To hear that come from the lips of Lord Zeus was indeed a rare and precious moment for anyone, including me. To think that he would actually call me a 'goddess of all goddesses' was so heart-warming and full of pride that I could not help but feel a sudden enlightenment in my heart.

And with that new enlightenment, I hoped with every part of my being in my heart that Dionysus would have a safe journey to the Underworld, and maybe, if the Fates allowed it, would be able to reunite with his beloved.

* * *

Author's Note:

This chapter seems kind of pointless, but I felt the need to include an Ariadne & Persephone moment, as well as a scene when Artemis is brought before Zeus for actually advising Dionysus to descend into the Underworld to reclaim Ariadne.

Nothing much to say here, but I hope the next chapter would excite you guys!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	37. PART 3: Chapter 4

_**Part 3: Chapter 4**_

Dionysus

The cold of the silver-gold metal of Corona bit into my fingers and the eight diamonds reflected off the moonlight in sparkles. For a long time as I stood on the edge of a random high cliff, I only focused all my attentions on the wedding crown as the thought of what I had planned to do come into fruition in my mind.

To travel to the Underworld and stand before Hades to appeal to him for the release of my bride would have been one of the most craziest and absurd things that most would have thought me to do. Many would proclaim that I may have gone completely mad, or am just too desperate that I would try to do something stupid.

Then again, I had done more madder and stupider things in my life, but I doubt this could be considered one of them.

And no matter what happened, I was determined to get her back, or fail trying.

But just in case I did fail…

Without a moment's hesitation and with all the might of my hands, I threw Corona away from me heavenwards, sending it flying into the air. However, it did not fall to the ground once it was out of my grasp. Instead, it kept on flying further and further out, disappearing more and more from my sight in the darkness of the night. It kept on going heavenwards, higher and higher and higher…

Until it was no longer a crown, but a formation of eight stars in a circle in the night sky. The new constellation of stars that had once been the wedding crown of Ariadne shone brighter than the other multitude of stars, for it was newly-birthed. I could almost feel its shine on my face as I continued to admire Corona in its new home in the heavenly stars of the night, where anyone who would look up at this moment could see its grace.

But this was not something I had done for no reason. This was what I wanted to dedicate specially to Ariadne, to remind myself in no matter what situation of the beauty and happiness that she had brought into my life.

So even if I failed in bringing her back, I would have Corona to look to if I was alone.

XXX

I had just descended the cliff, after taking a good long while of imprinting the image of Corona as a constellation in my thoughts, when a realization occurred.

I realized now that I did not actually know where to begin to look for a way into the Underworld.

I was not chthonic; a term used to refer to deities who had ventured into the Underworld once or many times before. Therefore, I did not have the special ability of chthonic gods to locate a crevice in the Earth that radiated the aura of the Underworld, thus signifying an entrance to the realm below.

At that moment, I felt that all hope seemed lost. What was I to do if I did not even know how to start? The thought of being unable to reach Ariadne made me quiver in fear and anxiety; even more so than the thought of descending into the Underworld itself.

I had been so caught up in the feeling of loss that I had unconsciously whispered pleadingly into the cold and silent forest air, "If anyone who can help can hear me, I beg of you to answer."

Of course, I had not even expected an answer. However, it came anyway.

"And answer I shall."

In a flurry change of moments, I immediately looked upwards and saw Hermes floating above me. My half-brother then floated down until the soles of his winged sandals were touching the soft snowy sand, until he was standing right in front of me. In the light of Artemis' moon, I could see that Hermes still looked the same, even if it had been three months, during the last few days of autumn, since I had last seen him

"Hermes. It has been so very long. Thank Mount Olympus that it is you," I murmured in a great undisguised relief, feeling the urge to kneel down and kiss his feet in graciousness.

Hermes came forward and wrapped an arm around my frame, pulling me into a brotherly one-armed hug. Usually, I would have responded in the same way, always taking the friendly and welcoming approach. But now, I was just so thankful and glad to see him again after so long that I did not hesitate to wrap both my arms around his body, giving him a full embrace.

When we pulled away, he kept his hand on my shoulder as a gesture of comfort. With a small smile, he explained, "I have come here to help you, my brother. I have learned of what Artemis had done, and now I wish to give you aid."

"Thank you," I replied even more gratefully when I heard that. "Thank you so very much. I am forever in your debt."

Hermes only smiled and patted my shoulder once before taking a step back and giving his hand out to me. I looked at him in confusion, wondering what he was doing.

"Come," he told me. "I shall take you to the Underworld myself. You would be able to get there more easily."

I was entirely surprised by these turn of events, for I had clearly not expected Hermes, of all people, to want to help me. "How did you know?" I questioned him, for I was sure that the only ones who knew about my planned journey to the Underworld were myself, Artemis, and no one else.

"Lord Zeus discovered what Artemis had made you plan to do," he explained to me in admittance. "I was in presence when he called her before him to explain her deeds. But I was not there when he had agreed to it."

"What?!" I exclaimed in shock when I caught on to the last part. "He agreed to it? Are you saying he actually allowed me to descend into the Underworld?"

Hermes nodded his head in confirmation, which only increased my confusion tenfold. But before I could question Hermes on what reasons Zeus had given to explain why he would allow me to do something I clearly expected he would disapprove of, he told me, "I do not know why it is so. The only one who does other than Zeus himself is Artemis, who had been with him when he stated his agreement, and who had sworn to not reveal the exchange that had gone on between her and him. However, you should be glad that Zeus had decided to give you way and not make things difficult for you by refusing."

"Then what about you?" I questioned, my head still full of confusion. "Why would you wish to help me?"

Hermes sighed in response and a slight shake of his head, but there was a small smile on his lips when he told me, "I have heard first-hand from Artemis of your reasons for wanting to descend into Hades. To hear of your strong love and devotion towards Ariadne had admittedly warmed my heart that I had felt inclined to want to help you, my brother in need. And a deed such as yours that is so noble deserves all the help that it could get."

With that, he once again gave me an opened hand, and asked, "So, Dionysus? Will you wish to begin?"

Nothing could describe the utmost surprise I was feeling right now, and at that moment everything began to feel a bit more easier than it had just a few minutes ago. Now, I could envision a clearer path to the Underworld; with chthonic Hermes as my guide, I would be able to get to the realm below in just a blink of an eye, with no fear for obstacles.

However, the thought of getting there the easy way somehow made me feel cheap and pathetic. I felt that since my journey to the Underworld was to be mine and mine alone, I should learn to know to get there the harder way, for I felt that I might achieve a better understanding that way. Furthermore, Hermes had no intended part in my plan, and I would not want to burden him by asking him for favours that I need not have.

So with that thought in mind, I calmly pushed his hand aside and shook my head slightly in polite refusal. "I thank you for your kindness, dear brother. But I simply cannot accept it," I told him calmly and graciously.

"What?" Hermes questioned, entirely taken aback and confused. "Why ever not?"

With a sigh, I told him, "I do not wish to burden you with my problems, Hermes. This is the punishment that I alone must face, for it is the result of my irrational actions. I hope that this sole journey of mine would be my one-way path to repentance, and I strive to achieve that on my own. I shall bear with this, regardless of the consequences that come along with it."

Hermes did not immediately say anything in reply, only looking at me with a gobsmacked expression, his eyes searching mine as though to be sure that I was not either mad or joking. But after a while of silence and finally coming to the conclusion that I was still sane and serious, his lips melted into another smile, and he nodded his head in acceptance.

"I understand, Dionysus. Indeed, your nobility is something to be admired and envied after, and your courage and determination to go against all odds has me give my utmost respect to you," he marvelled in solemn pride. His hand then placed itself on my shoulder once again to give me a gentle squeeze, as he said, "So, I wish you nothing but the best of luck, and may the odds be ever in your favour."

I smiled back to him, internally feeling absolutely thankful and gracious for having a brother like him. As I did, my eyes travelled upwards, and instantly my sights came upon eight-starred Corona, just as I hoped with all of my heart that good may come out of all of this.

But before he let me go, Hermes added thoughtfully, "But if there is ever anything that you need – anything at all – do not hesitate to ask me of it."

But of course, there was no way I would not _not _take advantage of this.

"Well, you may do so by telling me where I can locate a way into the Underworld…"

XXX

I found it to be such a cruel joke that I had come back to the one place I had wished to avoid for the rest of my eternal life.

Argos.

XXX

"You are jesting with me, Hermes," I muttered in hard disapproval when Hermes answered my question. "Now is not the time for joking."

Hermes shook his head frantically. "I swear upon Styx that I am not jesting with you, Dionysus!" he proclaimed with urgency. "From where you are standing at right now at this very minute, the closest place that holds a secret portal to the Underworld is at the Argolid in the coast of the Gulf of Argos, located in a region of springs called Lerna."

Still, I groaned in disbelief. "Anywhere but Argos, please!" I whined and complained. "You know damn well my history with that place, and you should know damn well that I have no intention to return to the place where all of this mess started." Still feeling irked at the thought of setting foot back in Argos, I admitted fearfully, "I am afraid that if I were to step foot back there, I would be so consumed with the thought of what had happened. I do not wish to relieve those painful moments, Hermes. You should understand."

When I turned my back on him as I fidgeted to keep calm my thoughts, I heard Hermes sigh sympathetically, "I understand why you would not wish to go back to Argos, for the memory of what had happened there is still fresh and painful to your mind and heart. However, it is either you take a closest route, or spend a long while locating the next one, delaying your time. Besides, there is no more bad blood between you and Perseus anymore. Do you not know that he has allowed your rituals and practices to take place in Argos once again, as a gift of apology?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, I know of that," I told him, remembering the time oh so very long ago when I heard in my head his words of guilt, regret and apology resonating from a temple of mine in Argos. "But while I have allowed him my forgiveness, I am still uncertain of going back because of that one reason."

"It is your choice, Dionysus," Hermes told me in finality. "I will not force you to do it if you do not wish to do so, but please do think it over. If you manage to overcome the pain that still lingers in your heart, it may be able to give you the strength you need."

When I turned around to face him, I saw that he was already gone. His aura lingered in the air for a little while more, until it had disappeared completely into the biting cold and silent still air.

So with that moment, I decided that there really was no other choice.

XXX

After wandering around the area for what might be an hour or so, keeping in mind the location of 'the Argolid in the coast of the Gulf of Argos', I was finally able to find Lerna.

What Hermes had said was right, it was indeed a place with a multitude of springs. Nestled in this isolated part of the Gulf, there were springs all over the place, all which were bubbling actively, giving off a comforting warmth that coated the cold winter air heavily. In the darkness of the night, the bubbling spring waters sparkled in the luminescent light of the moon, painting the waters in silver and white.

But as I admired the beauty of this solitary place, I began to wonder where exactly I was to begin with. Hermes had only told me that the portal to the Underworld was located in Lerna, but he did not specify where exactly.

_Damn it… _I thought to myself in dismay. _This could take a long time…_

But just as I was going through my options, a voice sounded from behind me.

"Who goes there?"

In surprise, I turned around immediately, and instantly saw where the voice was coming from.

Approaching me was an old mortal man, who had a greyish-white mustachio and long beard, a slight hunched back, wrinkles and other age lines that marked his face, and his bones showing through his sagging leathery skin to the point that it looked like he was nearly a skeleton. The old man was hobbling towards me with the help of a long shepherd staff in his bony hands.

When I had turned to face him, the man's eyes widened instantly in awe and disbelief. He halted his difficult steps and just stood still as he continued to stare at me.

"I am… no one," I told him promptly, suddenly uncomfortable with his sudden presence.

Still stuck in his flabbergasted state, he exclaimed, "Do not fool me. I know very well that you are a god, for no one else could possess such utmost beauty that you have. And the light of the moon shines and radiates all around you, indicating the aura of divinity of which you have."

Slowly, he went down on his wobbly, knobby knees and planted his hands on the snowy ground, leaning forward in a somewhat prostration position. "Who are you, o' divine one, so that I may greet you proper."

For a moment there, I hesitated telling the old man my name, for I did not want to be unnecessarily be acquainted with someone so trivial. Furthermore, I had not the time to make friends with him for I still wished to find the portal to the Underworld as soon and as fast as possible.

But still, to be rude to this man who had done me no wrong, and had even wanted to pay greetings to me properly, seemed awful, so I sighed and just simply replied, "I am Dionysus."

The old man gasped then, and exclaimed, "Dionysus! The one who engaged the King of Argos in battle those three months ago?"

"**Do not speak of that!**" I snarled in anger that suddenly erupted within me.

The old man jumped in my sudden outburst and began quivering immensely. As I felt myself slowly relax, I saw in his eyes the fear that I had ignited within him, and immediately felt guilt for acting out of composure.

"Apologies…" I murmured, coming forward to give him a hand.

The old man took it with a nod of thanks, and I held him steady as he came to a stand on his aged legs. As he let go and steadied himself while grasping his shepherd staff, he bowed his head and said, "No, no. Forgive me. I would not have asked if I had known it would offend you."

"You are forgiven. What is your name?"

"Prosymnus," the man answered. "I am a shepherd around these parts, although I see myself as more of its caretaker since I am the only one that dares to come here."

That last bit made me very curious. "Why is that?" I asked. "Is there something wrong with this place?"

The old man, Prosymnus, took a thoughtful look around the area as he told me, "Nearby Lerna is the Alkyonian Lake, which used to be the lake that was guarded by the ferocious water monster, the Hydra. Up until it was slain by the hero Heracles a few years back, the Hydra protected the lake, for there is a portal to the Underworld deep within its murky depths."

"What?" I exclaimed, my attentions perking up suddenly. "A portal to the Underworld, you say?"

Prosymnus nodded. "Why, my lord? Is that the reason why you are here in Lerna?"

Subconsciously, I nodded my head in response, before I could tell myself that it was a bad idea to do so. But then again, it really did not seem so much of a bad idea at all. I mean, this old man already knew I was a god, so what was the worst that could happen if he knew I was finding a portal to the Underworld?

"Indeed, it is. Can you take me there, to the Alkyonian Lake?"

Without hesitation, Prosymnus nodded his head in agreement and turned around to walk back the way he came from. In the silence and darkness of the night, I followed right behind him quietly, my heart racing at the thought that I was about to be one step closer to the Underworld.

Up a hill and through a thicket of trees later, I found myself facing a large lake that was located at the base of some small mountains. The area was so well-secluded that one could almost feel the eeriness of it all, down to the question of what lied deep within the dark waters of the lake. Despite the fact that it was winter, the lake was not frozen, and the inky black waters that looked like a piece of midnight looked so sinister that it was just the perfect place to hold a way to the Underworld.

My attentions on the lake were suddenly pulled away when Prosymnus called out for me. I turned to his voice and saw that he was pushing a small row boat onto the dark waters.

"Come, my lord," he beckoned. "I will ferry you to the middle of the waters. The Alkyonian Lake is bottomless, its depths reaching parts unknown. Hazardous it is for people to swim in it; even when the ferocious Hydra had finally been slain and it no longer swims here, many still do not want to risk being in the waters that they know is cursed with an entrance to the Land of the Dead"

I moved ahead and got onto the boat without question. Prosymnus got in after me, and he grabbed hold of an oar to row the boat further into the lake. All the while, both of us were quiet, only the sounds of the water and the melancholic howls of wolves resonating through the cold winter air.

Suddenly, Prosymnus stopped rowing, and he announced, "My lord, we are finally at the middle of the lake. Deep below the boat lies the portal to the Underworld. Despite my words of the lake being hazardous to swim in, there is no other way for you to reach it but to swim to the bottom yourself."

"I understand," I told him as my eyes studied the dark, pitch black waters. I redirected my sight to look at the old man, and I leaned forward to hold his wrinkly bony hands in mine. "I thank you very much, helpful Prosymnus. Is there any way I can repay you for your kindness?"

Strangely, Prosymnus was suddenly so very quiet, his eyes focused only on our intertwined hands. I kept quiet as well because I thought that he was thinking over his options. But when it was taking a bit too long, I was about to ask him what was wrong. However, he started to speak at the exact same time.

"It has been a long time since I have felt the body of another on mine. I am no longer as young as I was before, when I was still able to get anyone to indulge with in the pleasures of the bed. I would do anything to feel the joys of the flesh once more with none other than you, for you are more beautiful than any that I have seen in my life."

When he had stated his want, I could only stare at him in shock. "Are you saying that…" I could not bring my mouth to finish speaking.

Prosymnus did not say anything, only caressing the back of my hands with his wrinkly bony thumbs.

I did not know what to say. Indeed I would do anything to repay this mortal for his help, but to allow him to have his way with me in bed? The whole point of this journey was to attempt to reclaim my one true love from the Underworld, to have my beloved wife once more at my side. But would I be able to allow myself to make love with this man in exchange? I had vowed to myself to be faithful to only Ariadne, and the thought of being bedded by him made my vow annulled.

However, in the end, I knew that I could not get myself to refuse this man, for I am a god of my word and will keep my word once it was made. I could only hope that my time in the Underworld would go well, or this would be something I would definitely regret for all eternity.

Silently, I pulled my hands away from Prosymnus' and stood up on the bed. Keeping my gaze focused entirely on the dark waters below, I proclaimed after a short exhale of breath, "Very well, Prosymnus. You will get your wish. I will find you once I have returned from the Underworld. This, I swear."

And then, without another word and another glance to the mortal, I leapt off the boat and into the waters, immediately getting engulfed in an array of blackness and coldness.

* * *

Author's Note:

Oooh! Looks like Dionysus' journey to the Underworld has started! What will await him in the realm below?

By the way, the old man Prosymnus truly was truly involved in helping Dionysus find his way to the Alkyonian Lake, and had indeed request that he have sex with Dionysus in return. Dionysus agreed to it, but it does not really mean it would be fulfilled...

Anyway, I just wanted to tell you guys that I had been so bored with myself that I played around with the pictures on my profile a bit. You know the pictures that I imagined the gods to look like? Yeah, that one. So anyway, I have made changes to some and added many others.

Those I have made changes to are;

**1. Demeter (Looking slightly more sexier now)**

**2. Hades (Looking as hot and sexy as ever! :P)**

**3. Aphrodite (More sexier!)**

**4. Athena (More dangerous and 'Battle Goddess' looking!)**

**5. Artemis (A look I am finally satisfied with! I was not really satisfied with the old one because the model didn't look like a virgin goddess...)**

**6. Dionysus (Went with a more rugged look!)**

Those I have added are:

**1. Thanatos (Exactly like him)**

**2. Hecate (Sexy and witchy!)**

**3. Leto (I suggest you compare this picture with new 'Artemis' pic)**

**4. Orion (As I have said before; I imagine Liam Hemsworth, though more Gale Hawthorne from The Hunger Games movie)**

**5. Ariadne (For the sake of this fanfic!)**

**6. Semele (Also for the sake of this fanfic!)**

**7. Psyche (Because a lot of people has been asking me to do a real ErosxPsyche story)**

Please do check them out and give moe your opinions on them! I would really like to know!

Thanks for reading! See you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	38. PART 3: Chapter 5

_**Part 3: Chapter 5**_

Theseus

Lounging on my chaise at the balcony of my bedchambers, my eyes stared out at the image of Athens before me, and my mind full of sadness, pain and anger at the thought that I had lost my wife and queen, my beloved Phaedra.

It was then she appeared to me.

She appeared right in front of me in the streak of light from the glowing silver moon. She appeared out of thin air and in a bright aura.

It didn't take me long to realize that this magical woman was a goddess.

I felt like I had been struck by lightning of the most powerful Zeus when I focused my eyes on the goddess. She was extremely beautiful, enchanting and mesmerising. She was even more beautiful than Phaedra or any of the most beautiful women I have ever encountered. She had a very lovely face – with enticing eyes the colour of the midnight blue sky and was framed by thick dark lashes, high cheekbones and full womanly lips – that was framed by her dark hair that cascaded in soft and graceful waves to just below her breasts.

She had the most perfect womanly body; tall, slender, and absolutely sensuous, with perfect breasts and hips. Yet, she did not dress like a woman should. Instead of wearing a chiton that fell to her ankles or covered her feet, she wore a chiton that reached just above her knees, baring her smooth slender legs and sandal-adorned feet. She was dressed head-to-toe in white silver that looked as though it was radiant from the essence of moonlight. On the crown of her head sat a pure silver diadem with a single crescent moon centrepiece.

But what was most enchanting yet strange about her was the silver aura that radiated from and around her. It did not come from the silver jewellery she wore, but from herself. It seemed to make her glow in the light of the moon, and it helped to heighten her beauty and etherealness.

My eyes met those of the goddess, and I stared at her in awe, being completely entranced – and, admittedly, slightly aroused – by her divine beauty. She looked back at me with a contemplative gaze. She did not smile, but she did not seem threatening.

"Hello, Theseus," she greeted me.

Her voice matched that of her looks; beautiful, enchanting and mesmerising. It sounded even more beautiful than the most beautiful of music composed by my best court musicians. It sounded even more beautiful than the enchanting call of a siren beckoning to come closer.

Getting off my chaise and into a standing position without tearing my eyes away from her, I asked, "Who are you?"

She only raised a brow whilst her expression did not falter. Unlike other women who would stand timidly with their heads bowed down in my presence, she stood tall, brave and confident with her chin up, looking as though she was the alpha while I was a mere omega.

Without a change in her voice, she answered, "I am Artemis."

Again, I felt like I had been struck by Zeus' lightning bolt. I could not believe that, right in front of me, was Artemis, the great Olympian goddess.

I could not believe that standing before me was Artemis, the Goddess of the Hunt and the Wild. She did not look like what I had imagined her to be as a patroness of hunting and beasts; in my mind, I pictured a goddess who looked more masculine than feminine and who would be rugged and rough-voiced. But standing before me was a goddess who was everything a beautiful woman should be; from the features of her face to the sound of her voice to the figure of her body. She seemed to be as beautiful as beautiful Aphrodite.

Without hesitation, I knelt on one knee, bowed my head and greeted, "Glorious Artemis, _Potnia Theron _– Mistress of Beasts. She who is Queen of all wildlands and guardian of the moon of ever-shining Selene. To what do I owe the honour of your presence?"

Her reply came quickly.

"You were a fool."

Immediately, I looked up at her in confusion. _What?_ I thought to myself. What exactly did the goddess mean by that? Why exactly had she called me a fool? What have I done to make myself a fool?

I stood up to my full height, which towered over her by a good half a foot. But even though I stood taller than her and she had to tilt her chin up to look at me, her gaze still remained confident, regal, and, in my opinion, intimidating. Her gaze was unfaltering and unwavering. It still held the same contemplative look from when she first arrived. She just continued to look at me, as though waiting for me to say something.

"A fool?" I said.

"Yes. A fool. Probably one of the biggest fools I have ever come across."

Her answer made me upset and angered. Though she was a goddess, I didn't like it that she had the nerve to call me that. I was nothing if I was a fool. I was Theseus, Slayer of the Minotaur, Conqueror of the Labyrinth and King of Athens! I was not a fool.

"Your eyes say otherwise, but you are indeed a fool," she said then, as though a response to my thoughts. Her gaze still stayed the same, with only an eyebrow raised as a change in expression.

"And why exactly am I a fool?" I questioned her, trying hard to keep my temper and not risk anything to incur her wrath. "What exactly have I done?"

All of a sudden, there was finally a change in her expression. Her eyes, which up until now had only been calm and contemplative, suddenly turned angered and menacing. The ferocity was etched clearly onto her beautiful features, and I was taken aback by how she now looked absolutely terrifying. She looked more terrifying than even the most terrifying of beasts that I have encountered. The Minotaur could even pale in comparison to her, the Goddess of the Hunt.

The heat of her anger seemed to shoot into my being, and I backed up a step in fear.

In a hard voice laced that seemed to be laced with steel, she seethed, "You killed Hippolytus."

At the mention of my son, I was suddenly overcome with pain and anger. My mind suddenly flashed all those that were recent of my son, which was actually the memory of Phaedra crying to me.

"_He ravished me, Theseus!" she cried to me on the night I returned from my duties in the city. "He forced himself upon me and soiled my honour!"_

_Staring in confusion in the red-rimmed, tear-filled grey eyes of my wife, I questioned angrily, "Who, Phaedra?! Who dared lay his hand upon you?!"_

_Her arms wound tight around me and she pressed her face to the crook of my neck, her tears wetting my skin. Through frantic sobs and never-ending tears, Phaedra choked in reply, "Hippolytus! Your son!"_

_Hearing that, I was filled with so much white-hot rage that, the next thing I knew, I was calling upon my father Poseidon to give me another wish out of the three wishes he had promised me. _

_I had wished for the death of my own son._

"He deserved it," I snarled in fury to the goddess, now not caring for courtesy and respect. While she just kept quiet and continued to look at me hard in the eye, I continued ranting out the poisonous words I had for my son. "He dared to rape my wife while I was not in presence. And it was because of his cruel and damnable actions that Phaedra had killed herself because she was ashamed that he had stolen her honour. Hippolytus deserved his death."

All of a sudden, I was thrown to my knees on the floor.

I gasped in shock because nothing had been touching me to push me down to the floor. It was as though an invisible weight fell upon my shoulders and I could not hold myself up. I looked up instantly, only to start to feel a mild choking feeling in my throat. Panicking, I started to gasp for air.

I watched with wide eyes as Artemis continued to look down upon me with her hard dark intimidating eyes. She knelt to be my level and her hand grasped my chin tightly. I winced at the feel of her hand on me; indeed, she was far more powerful than she looked. Her fingers, despite looking slim and nimble, felt like hard metal rods clamped on my chin. Fearfully, I began to realize that, with just one little squeeze, it could mean my death.

Still holding the tone of anger, she growled, "You… Are… Wrong."

And then, with a flick of her wrist, she sent me falling down on my side onto the floor. The impact I made with marble was painful; the force of her simple movement was strong.

She rose to her full height, now towering over me. Taking slow steps to where I was trying to sit up and stand, she said, "Hippolytus had done no such thing. He had been my follower, a son of the Hunt. He had taken a sworn oath of chastity and he upheld his oath with honour, never once even touching a woman. He was too devoted to me to do such a thing."

When Artemis finally came to stand in front of where I had managed to sit up, she growled like a wild beast, "Hippolytus _was _innocent."

Taking in deep breaths to recollect the air I lost from the impacts of her power, I gasped, "What?... Impossible…. He couldn't have been…. Phaedra…"

"Lied to you," Artemis finished for me, now with a mocking tone interlaced in her hard voice. "She lied to you. And she killed herself because of her lie."

"**NO!**" I shouted angrily. "**NO, THAT CAN'T BE! SHE WOULD NEVER LIE TO ME!**"

"But she did," Artemis replied nonchalantly, still in her hard-edged voice. "Your _precious_ Phaedra lied to you and tricked you into killing your son; your own flesh and blood."

If it weren't for the fact that she was a goddess, I would have struck her down for her insolence. How dare she twist my thoughts? How dare she proclaim that Phaedra had been the one who was in the wrong? How dare she say that?

At first, I thought that she was only here to mock me of the death of both my son and my wife and to drive me into madness. But no; I knew that she was here for a reason. Indeed, Hippolytus had been a follower of Artemis. Numerous times I have seen him make his way to the temple in the kingdom that was devoted to the Goddess of the Hunt. He would always bring with him an offering to the goddess. He had always done so without fail.

"Why?" I breathed in question. "Why would Phaedra lie to me?"

With a raised eyebrow, Artemis asked, "Would you really like me to tell you why?"

I closed my eyes as I made my final decision. Part of me wanted to say 'no' and tell her to leave me to continue to wallow in the death of my wife. But yet, part of me wanted to say 'yes' and know the supposed real story. Artemis had to be here for a reason regarding the matter, didn't she?

With a deep breath, I answered, "Yes."

Artemis studied me with contemplation at first, but she then took a deep breath and began to speak.

"The Goddess of Love, Aphrodite, took notice of Hippolytus, and wanted to make him her lover. She came to him with the offer of having him share her bed and be cherished by her. Hippolytus refused her, telling her that he had sworn an oath of chastity in my name and would not discard it. Aphrodite did not take the refusal lightly, and swore revenge."

My breath hitched suddenly, and Artemis paused. When I said nothing, she continued on.

"In her plan of revenge, Aphrodite planted a curse onto Phaedra to make her feel desire for Hippolytus. Phaedra suffered greatly from the curse's effects, and was so consumed with lust for Hippolytus that she could not control herself any longer. The night before you returned, she came to his bedchambers and attempted to seduce him into bedding her. But, like with Aphrodite, Hippolytus refused her, stating once again that he would not do so because he had sworn an oath of chastity in my name and will not discard it. Furthermore, the idea of sleeping with his own stepmother disgusted and irked him so much that he did not hesitate to refuse her. Phaedra did not stop in her ministrations and it was she who tried to force herself upon him. Hippolytus had felt violated, but made no move to strike her out of respect because she was your wife. Instead, he ran away and sought refuge in my forests surrounding Athens. Many times that night did he wash himself in a spring, wanting to purify himself and beg for my forgiveness."

Artemis paused to take a deep breath and turned her head to look out at the image of the city. I took this moment to finally stand as I absorbed all that she had said. For some reason, I could not ignore the feeling of truth in her words.

"Phaedra did not take his refusal lightly. Mimicking Aphrodite, she wanted revenge upon him for denying her. When you returned, she told the lie that Hippolytus had raped her, knowing very well that you would believe her and defend her honour."

She turned her head to look at me again and I knew what she saw. She saw the great amount of confusion and disbelief in my eyes. I was unable to comprehend it within me and allowed it to show. As though the sight of my state had softened her, her eyes began to lose its malice and took on a more calmer expression.

"However, when you wished for Poseidon to bring Hippolytus' death upon him, and when Hippolytus met it by being dragged by his chariot led by frightened horses, Phaedra was so consumed with guilt that her lie had brought upon his death. She started to regret the lie; she had only wanted Hippolytus to return her love. Horrified by the fact that it was she who had led Hippolytus to her death and that there was no more chances of seeing him again, she killed herself."

Her tale ended there, and it was at the same time I felt tears streaming down my cheeks. For some reason, I felt obliged to believe whatever she had said, because it seemed to just scream _Truth_. But I was so overwhelmed by her words that I could not keep myself from crying tears of shame.

Just then, I noticed Artemis holding her hands out to me, and I looked and saw something that really made my heart break.

In her hands was Hippolytus' sword; the one that I had specially made for him on the year he had grown into a man. I let my eyes drink in the sight of its wooden hilt that was padded by wolf-fur and the blade of strong and durable iron that was sharp enough to cut through any sharp surface.

Seeing that sword was what made me realize that Artemis was in fact telling the entire honest truth.

"I myself oversaw that Hippolytus received a proper funeral pyre," she explained. "It was I who placed a golden obol in his mouth so that he would be able to pay the ferryman Charon for his voyage to the Underworld. But I took his weapon from him and now I saw it fit that it be returned to you."

Artemis' eyes beckoned me to take the sword, and so I did. I gently held it in my hands, feeling its weight as I allowed myself to remember the sight of my son with this sword in his hands.

With a deep breath, she said quietly, "Hippolytus died innocent, Theseus, he had been sentenced by my uncle, the Underworld God-King Hades, to live his afterlife as a soul of the Elysian Fields. On the other hand, due to her vile character and her sinful crimes, Phaedra now burns in eternal suffering in horrid Tartarus, forever left to scream in mercy that would not be heard."

Suddenly, she turned away to look at the city again and she sighed, "Perhaps… this was to be your punishment for what you had done to Ariadne."

Hearing that name made me snap up my head and look at her with wide eyes.

How long have I not heard that name? How long have I not heard the name of the woman who had helped me in overcoming the danger of the Labyrinth and the Minotaur? How long have I not heard the name of the woman who I had tricked into helping me by using her feelings for me in my advantage and promising her false things before leaving her to rot on the island of Dia? How long have I not heard the name of the woman I had betrayed for the love of her younger sister Phaedra?

"Ariadne?" I breathed in shock and disbelief. "Ariadne?"

Artemis sighed and looked at me once again. This time, in her eyes, there was a look of disgust, and I knew that it was intended for me.

"Remember her?" she questioned.

Of course, I had remembered Ariadne. I remembered the guardian of the Labyrinth with long pale blonde hair that fell like a smooth waterfall to her waist and her bright intelligent grey eyes that held flecks of mossy green. I remembered the princess of Crete who had gone against her father Minos' words and aided me in bringing down the Cretan tradition of sacrificing fourteen Athenian lives to the Labyrinth and the Minotaur. I remembered the woman I abandoned on the island in favour of Phaedra, her younger sister.

"I do."

"You betrayed her," Artemis said knowingly. "You lied to her. You played with her feelings just so that she would foolishly help you. You used her – both in mind and body – before leaving her on Naxos and claiming her own younger sister as your wife and queen." And then, with a disgusted sneer, she said poisonously, "You should feel completely ashamed of yourself."

Hearing her words made me feel a sting of guilt. It would be a lie to say that I did not feel guilty about what I had done to Ariadne. In fact, when it came to Ariadne, guilt and regret came in oceans.

"How do you know of her?" I inquired, suddenly wanting to know.

With a deep breath, Artemis answered, "She is now one of my sisters."

I felt myself overwhelm with shock, and Artemis continued on.

"When you left her on Naxos, she had crossed paths with my half-brother Dionysus, the God of Wine and Ecstatic Rituals. A chance meeting that eventually led to being struck by the arrows of Eros, Dionysus did what you had falsely promised her; he made her his bride and his Queen, ruling by his side over his Bacchic rituals. Dionysus did everything else for her that you didn't. He cherished her and admired her. He protected her and cared for her. And to him, she birthed twelve sons. Their eldest, Oenopion, is the king of Chios. Their third, Thoas, is the king of Lemnos, his birthplace. And their youngest, Enyeus, is the king of Skyros."

She gave me a glare that was piercing into my eyes like daggers when she said in a hard and mocking voice, "To be honest, I partially think that it was indeed clever of you to abandon her on Naxos, because she would not have been able to be rid of someone as worthless as you and gain someone as good as he if you hadn't. Dionysus loved her, and Ariadne loved him back."

Just then, she gestured to stars above in the dark night sky and I looked up and immediately saw that she was gesturing to a constellation. I have never seen such a constellation before and instantly made me think of a crown.

"That is _Corona_," she explained, looking up at the constellation as well. "That was the wedding crown of Ariadne which had been gifted to her by Dionysus, and he put it in the stars in memory of her."

"What?" I suddenly said, catching on to the last part. "'In memory of her'? What do you mean?"

Artemis sighed and replied, "Ariadne had passed on, Theseus."

My heart felt as though it had stopped beating.

"At Argos, the demigod Perseus engaged Dionysus in battle. It was in that battle he was about to brandish the decapitated head of the gorgon Medusa upon her husband. Ariadne knew what the head of Medusa would do, and she immediately took Dionysus' place in front of the gorgon's horrible eyes. Perseus had destroyed her stone body by accident before he could realize that it was not Dionysus that had been turned to stone."

With another sigh, Artemis said sorrowfully, "She had valued Dionysus' life above her own, and by sacrificing herself for her immortal husband, she received an honourable death."

My heart suddenly clenched in pain at the thought that she had died because she had sacrificed herself for her god-husband. At first, I wanted to think that it was foolish of her to do so. She had been foolish to give up everything she had for me, and now she was foolish for giving up her life for a god who could have easily replaced her with another woman.

But I stopped myself from thinking like that when I realized that what I had said about her god-husband was actually what I had truly done to her. In the end, I felt shame for thinking like that. At least Dionysus had given her a good life, when I had only destroyed her.

"But she will not be dead for long, Theseus. Ariadne will arise once again," Artemis suddenly told me.

That aroused my curiosity and made me confused. "Why would you say that?" I asked her.

Suddenly, she smirked. It was such a new change from the blank stare, the contemplative gaze and the furious glare she had worn on her face just a while before. This smirk made her seem more easy and relaxed, as though she had so much freedom in the world.

Artemis replied, "Knowing Dionysus, he would never leave her alone, no matter what."

And it was that moment Artemis suddenly disappeared, into the moonlight like how when she had first appeared. Her presence was suddenly gone, leaving me alone on the balcony with the sword of my dead son in my hands and the thoughts of my past lover in my mind.

* * *

Author's Note:

So this chapter is dedicated to the demigod that nearly eveyrone on this fanfiction loves to hate! I know there has not actually been any appearance of Theseus until this point, despite the fact that he was mentioned several times. But - like Ariadne, Dionysus and Artemis - I found him too insignificant to make him a major character in this fanfiction.

Anyway...

***DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT LIKE COMPLAINTS! TURN BACK NOW AND YOU WILL SAVE YOURSELF SOME EYE-ROLLING***

***YOU'RE STILL HERE?***

***ALRIGHT THEN***

Of coure, I would pay attention to the amount of views I get on each chapter, and I realized now that it has come to the point where the amount of views are getting less and less with each chapter.

Now, I would be worried about this, because I would think that I am not doing a good enough chapter or you guys are starting to find it boring. But while I still am, I decide that I did not really care.

Now don't get me wrong! I'm not meaning to say that I don't care about this story and you guys anymore. I still do, but it's just that I realize that not all of you would be satisfied with it. But hey, that's your own choice.

I'm not forcing you to read this story, to review this story each chapter or even like this story. I'm not one of those authors who would demand a R&R (_Read &_ _Review_) after every chapter, or I'm especially not those sorts of writers who demand for reviews with threats like '**REVIEW OR ELSE I WILL NOT PUBLISH THE NEXT CHAPTER**'. I don't do that because I don't want to feel like I'm demanding you guys to do something you don't neccesarily have to do. It's your own choice whether you want to or not.

So I am sorry if it seems like I'm complaining like a whiny brat. I have come to realize now that sometimes a writer's work does not always gain the attentions of 100000 people. Some works are good, some are bad. Some are entertaining, some are boring.

I'll accept whatever comes my way in all my fanfictions, and I will just like to remind you that I still do appreciate anyone who still reads this fanfiction and may even still find it nice! :)

So, on this long note, see you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	39. PART 3: Chapter 6

_**Part 3: Chapter 6**_

Ariadne

Sometimes, I would find myself gazing at Semele and just wonder about her life, her background, and just her entire story. I would constantly wonder about what her life had been like, what was her place among the people she had lived with, and what sort of person she had been before Death came upon her to whisk her away to the afterlife.

Even after however long it had been I had stayed with her in the Elysian Fields, and our relationship had come to the point where we thought of each other as family instead of friends, I did not truly know everything, for there were still some things that both us wanted to keep private, even from each other.

Today was a day with no exception, for I found myself wondering about these little things about her once again. I was sitting in the shade under a tree that was standing near our shared cottage, listening quietly as she hummed to me a lovely hymn. I had my eyes closed as I listened, feeling nothing but the warm honey tones of her sweet voice and the cooling breeze of the Elysian air.

When she had ended her hymn, she told me truthfully with a small smile, "That was one of my favourite hymns to listen to in my previous life. It reminds me of when I was still pregnant with my son. I would always feel the warmth of a new life growing within me, and the thought of motherhood makes me feel giddy with glee." But then, with a melancholic sigh, she added, "It's a shame it could not happen…"

Instantly, I placed a hand on hers and held it gently. "No need to think of painful memories, Semele," I spoke to her in a soft tone of voice. "The past is in the past, and there is no need to dwell so much on it."

"Ah, but that is quiet untrue, dear Ariadne," Semele replied with a slight smile. "Although pain still lingers in some parts, the past still holds memories that are the most fondest. To dwell on the past is not only to be reminded of pains, but is also to relive the moments that we enjoy and cherish the most."

Hearing that, I nodded my head in agreement, for her statement was very true as I also had memories of the past that I cherished so very much. That had me curious as to what was her cherished memories.

"What do you love to remember mostly, Semele?"

Semele tapped her bottom lip quizzically as she looked up at the branches of tree in deep thoughts. "Hmm…. That is a good question indeed," she mused. "There is so many memories that I cherish very much… But if I ever had to select a few out of many, it would only be two."

"And what are those two?" I asked.

Looking back to me, Semele beamed and answered, "The day I met my lover and the day I found out I was pregnant."

"Tell me of it," I beckoned.

* * *

When his sudden knocks on the door had been answered with the King's voice saying 'Enter', Thanatos immediately pushed open the doors of his master's study and entered the room with hurried steps.

Hades and Persephone had both been in the study, with him reading some old scrolls at his seat at his table while she was seated near the hearth with her fingers busy with embroidery. Both had been preoccupied with their own activities and enjoying their companionable silence until their attentions were suddenly diverted towards the sudden appearance of Thanatos.

"My lord, there is an emergency," Thanatos informed immediately, being so very urgent that he had forgotten and foregone his normal procedure of bowing to Hades when in his presence.

Alarmed by the look of urgency on his minister's face, Hades immediately rose from his seat and questioned, "What is it, Thanatos? What is happening?"

Without a second's hesitation and in heartbeat, Thanatos hurriedly answered, "There is an intruder in the Underworld."

* * *

Ariadne

"I know that I have not really told you all that is to know about my life, dear Ariadne. So I think it is time that I do, for I have grown very fond of you and had come to trust you and love you as though you are my own daughter. So I will tell you that I am actually the daughter of a mortal man and a goddess, and the princess of Thebes."

"You were?"

Semele nodded her head. "My father was Cadmus, the prince of Phoenicia and the founder-king of Thebes, and my mother was Harmonia, the Goddess of Harmony and Concord. I had inherited most of the mortal blood of my father, as I do not possess any divine powers of a goddess. My parents were present for a certain period of my life up until I had reached adulthood. At that time, I had decided to discontinue my royal duties and become a priestess."

After studying in a temple of Zeus for a few years, I was initiated as a priestess there. One day, after I had slaughtered a bull at the altar and cleansed myself in the river Asopus, I had retired to my room when I heard a voice. It came out of nowhere and there was no one in the room but me, so I naturally became terrified and thought it was some entity. But before I could fear, the voice told me to not be afraid, and that it would not harm me.

I know it may sound strange, but I could not help but trust the voice, for I felt like it would indeed do me no harm and that it was not dangerous. Furthermore, the voice sounded so beautiful and mesmerising that I could not fight the urge to respond. When I asked him – I knew it was a man from the deepness of the voice – to show himself to me, he said that he could not. But when I asked for his name, he told me that I was his priestess."

"It was _Zeus_?!" I exclaimed in shock. "Your lover was _Zeus_?!"

Semele smiled bashfully. "I guess I did not mention it, did I?"

"No," I replied with an astonished shake of my head. "Please do continue."

Semele did as I beckoned and continued. "After a few nights, I was bedded by him for the first time. I remembered that night; my chambers were completely dark, for he had always insisted that there be no light in the room whenever he came to me. At that point, I could not deny that I had fallen for him and wanted to be his. Our relationship continued on afterwards, and it became stronger with each moment he spent with me. It was only a matter of time that I realized that I was with child."

She paused to release a sigh of content. "I remembered how ecstatic I had been at the thought that I was going to have a child. I had always wanted to be a mother, and to be the mother of the great god was indeed an honour and a blessing. When I told him, he seemed over the moon, and blessed the child to be healthy. I thought of that day as the most happiest day of my life, for I had never felt so much joy before."

Another sigh of content released, but then her features turned grave and grim, and I knew that she was delving into the memories that were the most painful.

* * *

Dionysus

When I had jumped into the waters, I had swum all the way down, deeper into the depths of the Alkyonian Lake. Indeed, it was so bottomless, for I could not see an end even with the strong sense of sight that I had possessed.

But after a long while of continuously swimming downwards with all my strength into the dark watery abyss, ignoring the overwhelming sensation of being frozen in the icy waters, I felt a sudden pull towards the deeper regions. At that moment on, I knew that I had finally reached the portal I had sought, and I let myself be pulled deeper and deeper until I was completely engulfed by complete darkness that even my sense of sight could not see through.

When the sensation of being underwater was no more, I opened my eyes and found myself in a cavernous world which was so dark and dreary that I immediately knew that it was the Underworld. I was standing on a lone isle in the middle of vast, murky waters, and on the isle was a palace so grand that it was so near to being as magnificent as the palace of Mount Olympus.

"The palace of Hades…" I breathed to myself in astonishment. "The Underworld…"

I was suddenly pulled out of my awe when I heard the grand doors of the palace start to open. My eyes flew to ahead of me, in time to see a tall, pale being approaching me.

The being, with long white hair and eyes the colour of dull ashes, bowed to me and said, "Lord Dionysus. Lord Hades awaits your presence."

* * *

Ariadne

"One day, an old woman named Beroë came seeking refuge in the temple. Be it that I do not refuse those who sought refuge, I took her in and gave her food and water. As the days passed, Beroë became my nurse, revealing that she was skilled in taking care of pregnant women. Since then, I thought of Beroë as a friend, for I could feel companionship between us. After a while, and as I was already into the sixth month of my pregnancy, I revealed to her that I was carrying the god's child."

"And then what happened?"

"Beroë did not believe me; said that I was lying so that I could get attention. I tried to protest and said that I was not, but then she questioned me if I had ever seen him myself. Be it that I was in the temple, I did not feel comfortable about lying in a place where all truths must come clean, so I admitted that I did not. However, in desperation to prove the fact that the child I bear inside was indeed Zeus', I declared that I will have him show himself to me.

That night, when he came to me, I began by asking him what he would do to prove his love for me. He told me that he would swear to do anything I asked; anything at all. So I saw my chance and asked him to reveal his form to me.

I could feel the hesitance that he was feeling, so I stood firm and told him that he had sworn to do anything I had asked. Knowing that his words could not be taken back, he finally decided to accept my request, and he revealed himself to me at that very minute."

Now getting very interested in her tale, I asked in an urge, "What happened next, Semele?"

Once again, Semele heaved a heavy melancholic smile and said, "The next thing I knew, I was dead."

* * *

Dionysus

When the pale man had led me into the palace and through hallways and corridors, we finally entered a room that had a pair of tall and mighty bronze doors.

However, to say that it was a room was such an understatement. It was more like a hall, and very grand one at that. Despite its dark themes and colours, there was still an air of regality and luxuriousness that added to the ambience.

But my attentions were not on the décor for long, as it was then directed to the King and Queen that were seated upon their respective thrones on the top of the dais ahead of the room.

As of late, I had not seen my half-sister Persephone or my uncle Hades for quite a long time, for both of them were quite a solitary couple. Even when it was the sixth months of warmth and sunshine when they were parted from each other, I still would not see them so often, as Persephone was kept away from others on Mount Olympus by her (over-)protective mother Demeter – unless they were needed to be in the company of the others on the great mountain – while Hades was too occupied with ruling his own chthonic kingdom.

But even if they were my family, they were still royalty, and I had to treat them as such instead of giving them a friendly familial greeting.

"King Hades and Queen Persephone; I give you my most humblest of greetings," I said aloud as I bowed deeply to them.

"My nephew Dionysus, what has you entering into my realm unannounced?" Hades questioned instantly.

Looking back up, I saw that the face of Hades was marked with a frown and a downwards tilt of the corner of his lips. The piercing gaze of his pitch black eyes on me was so hard that it felt as though he was looking right into my soul, making me shudder in discomfort. However, I did not want to display weakness, so I sucked up my discomfort and stood tall and firm.

With a deep breath, I told him, "My lord, I have come here, standing before you and your Queen, to seek an appeal."

* * *

Ariadne

"Oh my goodness…" I breathed in shock.

Semele's hazel brown eyes remained casted downwards, her sights focused on her loosely entwined hands.

"When I stood before Hades, he revealed to me that my nightly lover was indeed Zeus, and that Beroë was actually his wife Hera in disguise. He told me that Hera had come to me seeking revenge, for she despised me for being another one of her husband's many mistresses. He told me that it was her intention to plant the seed of doubt inside me, and that she knew what would have happened had Zeus revealed to me his true godly form.

When I heard the truth, I cried so very much. But the pain of the truth could not compare to the pain I had felt when I realized that there was no more life in my womb. The protruding swell of my stomach had disappeared, along with the baby that had been growing inside me. When I questioned about my child, Hades said that he did not know whether or not it was still alive, for its soul did not enter the Underworld nor was there an indication that it was still living on the Aboveworld.

I was sentenced to live my afterlife in the Elysian Fields, for Hades had said that my soul was a pure soul that was kind and humane. But even when I had first stepped foot upon this beautiful realm that was far more beautiful that any parts of Earth, I still could not forget about the harbouring feeling of emptiness within me. Despite the fact that I had learned to let go of my sadness after a while and I had come to see this place as a home, the emptiness never fails to make me feel a wrenching pain in my heart."

Finally, Semele stopped talking, silent as she wallowed in sadness. Her hands came to rest upon her heart, and I could hear her take small shallow breaths that seemed to be holding back a cry.

Instinctively, I moved closer to her and wrapped my arms around her to pull her into a gentle embrace. She did not resist and allowed me to pull her closer, her hands reaching to grab hold of mine. In companionable silence, I caressed her hands gently, hoping to give her comfort.

"Like I have said, Semele… There is no need to wallow in the past… No need to suffer old pains…"

Semele inhaled another shaky breath before nodding her head in agreement. "You are right, dear Ariadne… I am so glad that I now have someone like you… Someone that I could actually confide in as a true friend and love like a child… I hope that you would never part from me…"

Hugging her tighter in response, I told her, "I will always be with you, Semele… Always…"

* * *

Dionysus

"That is completely unheard of," Hades said in a hard voice of disapproval.

I fought back the sting of disappointment and remained persistent. "Please, my lord uncle. I would do anything to have my wife return to me," I pleaded with him. "I would forever be in your debt, doing anything that you would wish for me to do. So long as I can have Ariadne back."

Hades continued to level a hard, emotionless stare at me. "Pray tell, why would you want this?" he questioned me in a voice as scrutinising as his gaze. "You would go through the trouble of descending into the Underworld – a feat that no one else would even dare to think about – just for the life of your mortal bride. Had you not known that her imminent death was a consequence when you married her?"

To hear that put out so bluntly was such a stab to my heart and I internally cringed. But yet, I maintained my composure and spoke in reply calmly.

"My lord, before I state any other reason, I would bluntly put out that I love my wife with all of my heart. Now, I know you are probably thinking, 'So what?', so please do let me explain first. Before I had met her, I was like my father, bedding so many women that I had gained my notorious name as a womanizer. I almost did not have a care in the world for what those I have bedded thought; to me, they were nothing but easy trysts and there were many more to come. I never found the need to have an established relationship, for I knew that there was no perfect woman for me. However, I was proven wrong when I first met Ariadne."

I paused for a while just as the memory of our first meeting appeared in my mind. As all my inner thoughts consisted only of Ariadne, I smiled to myself.

"I do not know why, but I felt drawn to her. No, not drawn to her because I was attracted to her, but because I was fascinated by her. Of course, I would wonder why there was a mortal girl alone on a beach and looking so very lost. Ah, and the fact that she looked so very lost and confused was what made me want to help her so much. And so help her I did, and save her was what I did as well. I saved her by giving her a refuge in Artemis' grove, and I saved her from being ravaged by an insolent satyr.

Over time, she had come to know of my identity as a god. As always, be it that she was a mortal, I assumed that she would take advantage of me and ask me to return her home. However, she instead requested that she stayed with me, and indeed it was suggested by Artemis that she be bound to me for she has already come across a god and goddess.

And so she became a follower of my revelries, and a devout follower at that. Of course, then the Love God Eros decided that both of us are to be soul mates, and shot us with his arrows of love. And fall in love we did, and marriage occurred later."

When I took a pause, I glanced at Hades and saw that he was simply staring back at me neutrally with a raised eyebrow.

"Forgive me, my lord," I apologised with a bow of my head. "I realize now that I have been babbling."

Hades did not say anything and just looked at me with indifference. I realized now that I had to come up with a better appeal than my mindless chatter from previously, or else he would never see reason. And so I took a deep breath and collected my thoughts.

"The point is, my lord, is that Ariadne has changed me in ways I did not even think could be possibly. For a long time, I had taken the mind-set of my father, seeing love as fleeting and only bringing the good of lustful pleasures. But when Ariadne graced into my life, she had given me a love that I never thought I would have. She gave me a love that was true, compassionate and intimate. I knew then that she was the only one for me, for my heart started to beat for her and only her. Our love exists in the form of the twelve sons that were borne from our union; the twelve sons who I love more than any other child I had sired from other women, because they are my sons by her. But when she was torn away from me, I felt like my heart had stopped beating so suddenly. I felt a pain so unbearable that I saw no point in continuing my immortal existence. The period of time that she was gone from me, I had done nothing but drown my sorrows in wine, for I wanted to numb the intense pain of my loss. But now I know that I cannot continue in this foolish act of destroying myself, and now I know that I would be willing to stand before you right now to seek an appeal for there is nothing else in this entire universe that I want so much more than having my wife by my side once again."

At this point, I had sank to my knees on the carpeted floor, leaning forward so that my body was in a prostration position to signify my submissiveness to Hades. But I kept my head up, so that I would be able to maintain eye contact with Hades, as a show of my firm stand.

"Lord Hades, please do see reason," I pleaded of him. "Would you not have been in my position had it been Persephone that had been taken away from you forever?"

Only silence ensued afterwards.

* * *

Author's Note:

I will admit to everyone right now that I feel quite ashamed for the author's note in the last chapter, but I really felt the need to let it out. But whatever it is, what is done has been done, and I cannot erase it.

So anyway, in this chapter, Ariadne learns more about her (unknown) mother-in-law and Dionysus is at an end as he attempts to plead Hades to approve of his appeal. But would Dionysus get what he wish? Would there be something that might come in at the very last minute to save him? Would Dionysus and Ariadne be one step closer to being reunited, or have all chances destroyed at this crucial moment?

Find out in the next chapter on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	40. PART 3: Chapter 7

_**Part 3: Chapter 7**_

When Dionysus had asked that question, it had struck something in Hades.

His marriage was always considered a sensitive topic to him. It was not as though his marriage to Persephone was troubled. In fact, it was entirely the opposite, being such a very blissful and happy affair. However, it was still something sensitive for Hades to think about because of the fact that their marriage came with the price that Persephone always had to leave him for six months at a time.

Most unfortunately, the time when she would have to leave him again was coming very soon in the approaching days.

He still never got over the dread of having to part with his beloved wife, the only woman that he had shared a bed with and who he truly loved in all of his centuries of existence. Despite the fact that he obeyed his younger brother like any other god, he still did not accept the fact that Zeus would consolidate with Demeter on the pomegranate agreement. By right, Persephone should have stayed with him, as was the rules of the Fates when she had consumed those six pomegranate seeds.

Hades could not deny the fact that he was afraid. He was afraid that maybe one day, woven into his thread of life by the hands of the ever devious Fates, Zeus would finally decide to side with Demeter and grant her full boon, which meant to say that he would allow her the complete sole right to Persephone's presence. And that way, Hades' allowance with Persephone would be annulled, and who would know what Demeter would do to ensure that he and she never be together again.

Sometimes, Hades thought to himself that maybe Persephone would be more happier to just be with her mother. She was, after all, the Goddess of Spring; a goddess that had life flowing out of her fingertips onto anything and anywhere she touched. So naturally, the Aboveworld where the sun's light shone everywhere and all forms of life existed all around was her place of origin, and would always be her real home. Hades knew very well that she missed all those aspects of the world above, and he felt guilty that his chthonic underground kingdom could never accommodate to those wishes of hers. He had agreed to himself that if ever the day came when Persephone would decide to stay with her mother forever, he would allow it, because he loved her and would only want her to be happy, regardless whether or not it would pain him in the process.

But Persephone knew those thoughts that he had, and had told him time and time again whenever the uncertainty struck that she would never leave him. She would always tell him that although a part of her heart still belonged to the world above where her mother was, she would always be his because he was her husband and her one true love. She had told him that she was glad that it was he who married her instead of her other 'suitable' Olympian suitors like her half-brother Apollo, who had been one of the main contenders for her hand in marriage. She told him that she loved him because he allowed her the freedom that she never could have when she was with her mother and had opened her eyes to the true fact that life was not always sunshine warmth and springtime dances as her mother had moulded her mind to think when she had been younger and less experienced. She told him that she was thankful that he was her's because she attributed him in helping her grow into a far better person than she would have been if she was still entirely in her mother's care.

Hearing that, Hades knew that, if ever the possibility of the both of them getting separated were to occur, he would fight. He would fight for his right to be with his wife. He would fight against any barriers – be it was placed by Demeter or Zeus or anyone or anything else – that was placed between him and her. He would not allow anything, regardless of whether fated or no, to separate him and his beloved Persephone. But even if it did happen, he would do anything in his power to get her back safe and sound by his side.

The feeling of a soft and gentle warm hand grasping his was what pulled him out of his heavy thoughts. In an exhale of breath, he turned his head to see his queen gazing at him with a look of concern. When his eyes met the soft gaze of her amber, he grasped back her hand tightly, wanting to feel the comfort of her presence.

But as Persephone continued to hold his gaze, she asked in a gentle questioning voice, "Would you have done the same, Hades?"

Hades immediately knew the answer to that question.

"Of course, I would."

And thus, he knew the answer he was going to give Dionysus.

But before he could even turn his head to look back at Dionysus, the doors of the throne room opened so very suddenly, startling Hades and Persephone, as well as the god kneeling before them.

* * *

Dionysus

"**What is the meaning of this abruptness?!**" Hades demanded to know hotly as he rose from his throne to stand at his formidable full height.

The sound of anger in the God-King's voice was frightening, and it seemed to shake the whole room like a sudden earthquake. I had to keep calm and not jump in fright so as to not lose the composure that I had been maintaining throughout our exchange.

However, my attentions were suddenly pulled away from the King and Queen to the new presence beside me. He had not been there more than ten seconds ago, but with a sudden gust of wind and travelling at the speed of light and sound, Hermes seemed to have appeared out of nowhere, kneeling as I was.

"A thousand apologies, Lord Hades," Hermes said aloud with a straight composure as he looked up at our uncle. "But I bring with me sudden orders from Lord Zeus to you."

At this, there was a sudden instantaneous change in Hades' expression, with his brow raising arched questioningly and his eyes widening slightly. Beside him, still seated on her throne, Persephone watched Hermes with a complete interest in whatever news he was bringing from Zeus above.

"So what is this news that you bring from Lord Zeus?" Hades questioned as he started to descend the steps of the dais.

Hermes did not answer the question right away. Instead, he turned his head to give me a thoughtful look. I was confused as to why, until I finally realized that whatever news Hermes had brought had something to with me. And from the look on his face, it must be good news.

Hermes then got up from his kneeling position and rose to his full height, just as Hades finally came to a stand in front of him. With a hand gestured in my direction, Hermes told him, "My lord, Zeus gives me his word for you regarding Dionysus and the reason for his presence here in your realm."

Hermes looked down to his side and met my gaze as he finally said, "Zeus gives command for you to allow Dionysus to reclaim his bride from the Elysian Fields."

Silence ensued straight afterwards as Hades froze in shock, Persephone gasped in surprise, and I only stared at Hermes in a mixture of both Hades and Persephone's reaction, interlaced with the feeling of disbelief and even slight relief within me.

The only one who was not surprised by the news was Hermes himself, for he simply stood there, calm and collected as he always was when he was on duty, looking at Hades expectantly. Once every few seconds, his spring green eyes would slide over down to look at me, meeting my own widened ones. Whenever he did, he would smile.

Finally, after the long stretch of silence that came, Hades exhaled a long deep breath that he seemed to have been holding in.

"Is that truly his final say?" he questioned with sceptical narrowed eyes. "There would be no possible changes whatsoever? Is he sure that he is not simply saying this for the sake of his son? And if I let you go, would he make you come back to me and tell me that it had all been a mistake?"

Despite the look of calm collectedness that remained on his face, I could see in Hermes' bright eyes the flash of panic that flickered for a moment. At this point, my own panic started to pike up, because I was afraid that he would not be able to answer our uncle's difficult questions. The fact that Hermes fell into silence afterwards only increased those chances tenfold, and made the situation even worse.

But before I could feel the complete anxiety of the moment becoming heavy weight on my entire being, Hermes thankfully finally said something after a long exhale of breath.

"He does not say anything about it being his final words, but he had been adamant about his decision when he commanded the task upon me. So I doubt he would change his mind any time soon, my lord."

Hades said nothing, only looking at both Hermes and I in contemplation. The silence that hung between all three of us was so thick and dense that I could almost feel it surrounding me. All the while, I was wondering about what was going on in Hades' mind, about what sorts of decisions he was making right now.

It was the sudden presence of a hand on his shoulder that tore all three of us out of our thoughts. All our eyes were then directed to Persephone, who – we did not realize – had descended the steps of the dais to join us.

Hades turned to meet her bright amber eyes which were already focused solely on him. Gazing at her, his own hand reached up to place it above hers.

"Hades," she said, her eyes looking thoughtfully into his.

Hades said nothing at first, only gazing back into the eyes of his wife. Hermes and I remained silent as we watched the Underworld rulers. By the looks of it, it was as though they were having some sort of communication, with the words spoken through their thoughts and their eyes instead of their lips.

It was when both of them moved their eyes away from each other and then to us that Hades released a heavy sigh and remarked with a slight heaviness to his voice, "Well then, it is most fortunate that I too had decided to accept Dionysus' appeal."

It was as though all the breath in my entire body had been knocked out of me when the blow of Hades' words finally struck me. I felt words piling up relentlessly in my mind, but none went through my lips no matter how hard I told myself to make some form of acknowledgement. My heart was racing, pounding hard and loudly within my chest, sending tremors through me. Everything was hazy, blurry, and so very confusing.

"My lord, is what you say true?" Hermes questioned Hades. I could hear from his voice a tone of disbelief.

Hades looked over to Hermes and raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Do you not trust my words, nephew?" he inquired speculatively. "Do you think I am merely jesting?"

Immediately Hermes straightened his posture and clears his throat audibly as he hurriedly replied, "No, Lord Hades. I do not doubt it even for a second."

Hades gave him a mere nod of silent and neutral approval before looking back to me once again. At this point, I had come to a stand, rising to my full height, but my eyes never once left his and my lips still not speaking a word.

"Come, Dionysus," he instructed with a slight gesture of hand. "It is time for you to go to Ariadne."

* * *

Ariadne

"I thank you for sharing your story with me, Semele. If only I was brave enough to tell you mine…"

I felt like a coward for still wanting to keep my story to myself. I wanted so very much to tell her that I was a princess of Crete. I wanted to tell her that I had been abandoned by Theseus on Naxos. I wanted to tell her about how I had met, befriended, fell in love and married Dionysus. I wanted to tell her of how I had died saving my husband from death.

But most unfortunately, I could not find the will to do so, for I still saw this as the most private parts of my life that were not meant to be told to anyone else. I do not know whether it was for the sake of keeping it to myself, or because I was afraid that Semele wold judge me for my past mistakes. However, I found the latter possibility to be highly improbable, for she had never once judged me for whatever I did.

Semele wrapped her arms around me and gave me a loving hug. "It is no worries, Ariadne. I do not mind one bit, because the decision is all up to you. If you feel like telling it to me, I will listen as you had done mine. But if you feel that you are not yet ready, I would still be there to listen if you feel that the time is right."

Once again in so many times now, I felt relieved by her kindness, and thankful for her compassion.

"Kind Semele, thank you for your understanding," I told her graciously as I hugged her back. "Yes, I will most certainly tell you everything one day. As there will never be a day that you and I shall part, there will be a day when you will know me as much as I now know you."

Semele broke out of the hug and gave me a smile and a kiss to my forehead before getting up from the ground and making her way back to the cottage. I stayed where I was, watching my 'mother' go and enter the cottage to get on with the events of our afterlives.

When I was alone outside, I took the time to just take in the surroundings of the beautiful scenery of the Elysian Fields, feeling very thankful that, despite the fact that I lost everything that was dear to me in my past life, I still managed to gain this reasonable compensation in the afterlife. I was thankful that I was able to gain residence in the afterlife where all good souls go to, and that I was able to find a new friend and mother in Semele.

"Ariadne!"

The sudden call of my name was what broke me out of my thoughts, and I turned my head to see Persephone running towards me from a distance. The closer she got, the more I noticed the presence of an excited smile on her rosy lips and an eager twinkle in her shining amber eyes.

"Persephone? What goes on?" I asked curiously once I was standing and walking to meet her halfway.

When she had reached me, her hands immediately grasped mine and held them there as she continued to fidget excitedly at the place she stood. A part of me watched in amusement at the sight of Persephone acting like such a giddy little girl who was bursting with excitement, while the other part of me was really curious as to why it was so.

Before I could ask again, Persephone immediately said cheerily, "Somebody special has come for you."

Her words only succeeded in making me more curious than I already was. Somebody special? Come for me? What exactly did she mean by that?

"What exactly do you mean by that?" I inquired, saying the exact same question that popped into my mind. "I don't understand you at all."

Persephone then exhaled a breath and finally managed to calm down and stay still, but the excitement and eagerness still was clear in her expressions as she continued to look at me.

"Look for yourself," she suddenly said.

With utter confusion arising, I did, instinctively looking behind her.

The confusion then turned into disbelief when I saw who was behind her.

His face… Even after being parted from him for so long (I did not really know how long, but it felt like forever to me), I could recognise his face so very easily. It always appeared to me in my dreams and, most especially, my memories. Every single time I slid my eyes shut to just relax, it was always the image of his cheerful brown eyes and his warm smile that would first come to my mind. It was that one special look on his face that I had loved so very much, because I know that it was the one that he showed only to me and me alone. It was the expression that always reminded me that he was the man I fell truly in love with, and who was the one who loved me as much as I did him.

For a moment as I stood there in a standstill of shock, I could not believe that he was here. I thought that it must be some hallucination that my mind was playing because of my utmost yearn for him. I thought that my inner most desire to see him once again was what was causing me to see him in front of me. If that was true, that I certainly hope that it did not disappear, for I do not think that I would be able to bear if it did.

But if he truly was just a trick that my mind was playing on me, and if he truly was not there and that I was just dreaming of my own little fantasies once again, why was it that Persephone knew he was there, and why was it that he looked so very alive and divine and _real_?

Just that one thought of realization was what made me do what I did next.

"Dion?..."

It had been so very long since I had said that special name; the fake name he had given me when we first met on Naxos that I, until now, had continued to use as my own pet name for him. The name had always been stuck on my thoughts, but it had been so very long since I had said it through my lips.

And when my pet-name for him slipped past my lips, a sudden change occurred on his features. Just a few seconds ago, it had been like mine; shock and in disbelief. But the very second my voice spoke, fresh tears that had welled up in his eyes started streaming down his cheeks. His expression broke into one of relief and… happiness.

In response, he choked out in a quivering smile, "Ariadne…"

At the same time, the same thing happened to me. As tears rolled down my cheeks, my heart suddenly felt light, as though a burdening weight that had been there for so long was now gone. I felt myself be relieved of all traces of pain and sadness that still lingered with me after I had died.

But most importantly, I somehow felt alive again.

We moved at the same time, and we did not take our own sweet time. We both had started running, our feet urging us to move faster towards each other. Our arms outstretched as well, preparing for that one moment where we could finally be together. All the while, we were both calling out each other's name.

The front of our bodies collided and we hugged each other together, and ever so tightly and eagerly. In a spur of moments, Dionysus lifted me off my feet and spun me around, as how he had always done when we were playing together. I only held on to him tighter, relishing in the feel of his warmth around me, the comfort that I could always get from being with him.

"Dion!" I cried out in tears, feeling myself smiling gleefully at the realization that he was truly here in body, and not just some figment of my own imagination. "Dion!"

His only response was to hug me tighter as he came to a stop. And just like that, the both of us just stood there, until standing became so much of a labouring task that we both sank to our knees onto the ground, but still holding onto each other so very tightly that it made breathing almost difficult. But I did not care; that was such an insignificant thing to think about at this heartfelt reunion.

At this very moment, the only thing that I could care about was the fact that here we were, together once again.

* * *

Author's Note:

DAAWW! REUNITED!

So the reunion had been successful, thanks Zeus' interception and Hades' compassion, mercy and his kind understanding, and also Persephone's very presence that had been the sole reason for Hades' making the decision! :D

So what with this chapter, it only makes sense that there would be a few chapters left before **_Drunk On Love _**comes to a close.

Anyway, guys. I want to tell you that I can take criticism on my stories, but let me tell you that criticism like the very latest one on **_Children of the__ Underworld _**is something that I don't even bother to look twice and think about. To that reviewer, I don't care if you don't like the story, because that's your opinion, and I won't really care about it so much 'cause _**CotU** _has already become my most reviewed fanfiction and one of my most popular ones by far. But seriously? Still have the cheek to give me a link to read your full 'review'? Psh, no time for that. I have chapters to write and stories to plan out! I got good readers that I wish to please! :P

And also remember this if you are ever so _dear _to read this; not everyone will like a story, but not every story is perfect either. I get that _**Children of the Underworld** _is not perfect, what with Persephone still having a bit of childishness and Hades having trust issues with her in the Zagreus arc, but that's how I picture them in that certain scene. I don't make the Olympians so perfect that there seems to be nothing wrong with them. No, I picture to be more _humane_, and being _humane _means making mistakes and having flaws once in a while. Who agrees with me?

So anyway, enough of my rant. I also have an announcement.

There will not be any update on Monday because I am very slow with the latest chapter (I'm so sorry for that!), and because this Tuesday is my 16th birthday, so my schedule will be quite packed. But I promise you that updates will come back on Friday!

So, after this _long _note, see you on Friday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	41. PART 3: Chapter 8

_**Part 3: Chapter 8**_

Dionysus

She was clearly very different now than when I had last seen her. Now, she had de-aged a few years, going from being a full-grown woman to a younger one who still had innocent expressions but with a body that was already mature as womanhood occurred.

However, she was just as beautiful as always – there are none who would be considered beautiful in my eyes except Ariadne. I cherished the realization that the way she looked now was how she had been when I had met her for the first time at the beach of Naxos, and that gave me the absolute certainty that she was indeed the woman who was, and forever will be, my wife.

I held her in my arms, my hold on her gentle but strong. As we knelt in front of each other on the lush green grass of the Elysian Fields, with her crying joyfully into the curve of my neck while her arms hugged me firmly around the neck, I pressed kisses into her soft blonde hair that was still the exact pale shade that I remembered, glowing radiantly in the soft shine of the 'Sun' in this realm.

We stayed that way for a while, not minding about anything that went on around us except for the presence of each other. But of course, it was only a matter of time before either of us started speaking again.

"You came for me…" I heard my wife whisper in a voice heavy with tears. "You came for me…"

I pulled away to look at her, and saw just how much tears had welled up in her grey-green eyes and streaming down her cheeks. She was crying even more than I was now, and it was what made me give her a comforting smile and cup her face with my hands so that my thumbs could wipe away her tears.

"Of course I did, sweet Ariadne…" I told her in a whisper that was still heavy with tears. "I would never leave you alone… Even if I was not with you, I would never leave you alone… I'll always come back for you, no matter what…"

Ariadne let out another choked sob as she hugged me tightly once again. She cried and cried and cried so very much, while I just kept silent and continued to rain kisses on her hair, silently thanking every power of the forces of the universe for allowing me the chance to reunite with my beloved wife.

It was the feeling of a hand on my shoulder that made us break away from the moment. Persephone stood – each of her hands on one of our shoulders – beside us, looking at the both of us with a gentle smile on her lips. Behind her, Hades stood a few feet away with his arms crossed, his black eyes watching with masked expressions.

"You really do not know how happy I am to witness such a heartfelt reunion," she spoke to the both of us in her sweet, warm voice. "Love truly does exist in the most purest form for the both of you, and I am utterly thankful that you can be with each other once again."

I could hear the gasp that escaped Ariadne's lips, clearly not believing what she was hearing from the Queen. I looked at her and saw how the surprise and confusion had taken over her beautiful young features; eyes gone wide as she stared at Persephone and mouth slightly agape.

"What? What do you mean?"

I took this opportunity to grasp her chin with my fingers gently and turn her head so that she was facing me and her beautiful eyes were looking right into mine once again. My fingers under her chin then moved to stroke the side of her face gently, feeling the softness of her pale skin on my fingertips.

As I felt my own pair of lips pulling into a smile, I told her, "'Tis true, my beloved wife… Our lord and lady has accepted my appeal for your release from Death… The ever-merciful Fates have weaved this time of good luck upon our respective threads… I can take you back to the world of the living, and will make you a goddess so that you will be immortal and forever by my side… Follow me back to the Aboveworld, Ariadne, so that we may be together and happy once again…"

Instantly, Ariadne broke into a new fit of sobbing, but there was a smile on her lips as the fresh wave of tears flowed. Her hands grabbed fistfuls of my long hair and she pulled my head closer so that our lips were finally pressed against each other in a sweet kiss. I did not care about the fact that Hades and Persephone were there, because the feel of her lips on mine made me suddenly forget about everything except the fact that here we were and that we were finally going to be together once again. I kissed back with every ounce of love I had for her, never wanting to part.

But when she pulled away, she looked at me and still continued to smile her beautiful smile. My hands cupped her face by her cheeks, and her own hands moved away from my neck to hold the top of mine.

In a whisper, she told me gently, "I am bound to you, my loyal husband Dionysus... Wherever you go, I will follow… And we will never be apart anymore… You will make me immortal, and I will be forever by your side…"

* * *

Ariadne

But just as I finished my vow to my husband, I heard a very familiar voice call my name from behind me.

I instantly broke my gaze away from my husband's – despite my hesitance to do so – and turned my head around to see Semele walking towards me, her hazel brown eyes looking at me and to Hades, Persephone and Dionysus in confusion.

At that moment, I started to slightly regret my vow, for I had spoken of it without having her in mind. I realized now that if I upheld that vow and did return to the world above with my husband, it would mean that I would be leaving her behind here in the Elysian Fields. I knew that I wanted nothing more than to be reunited with my husband and I was most certainly not going to let the opportunity I had now to slip away from my grasp, but I knew very well that I did not wish to leave Semele, because she had become my new mother and was now someone I held so very dear to my heart. Just the thought of being parted from her pained me and I did not want to bear with such pain at the loss of another loved one.

Slowly, I broke free of my husband's embrace and stood, making my way to her. My eyes were casted downwards to the ground as I wringed my hands constantly, trying to figure out what I was going to say to explain the current situation.

"Dear Semele… I… I…" I began to stutter uncertainly as I brought my gaze upwards.

But then I noticed that Semele was not actually looking at me. Her eyes were fixed on something else; something that had captured her attention completely away from me. But with her staring eyes, her eyebrows were raised in shock, and her skin seemed to have started turning pale.

In confusion, I followed her gaze, turning my head in the direction she was looking.

A complete turn-around made me discover that she was actually looking at Dionysus, and I realized then that my husband was also staring right back at her. Not staring in a confused manner, but in a manner of awe and uncertainty.

Subconsciously, I stepped back so that I was not in the way of the paths of their gazes. Neither said a word as they continued to look solely at each other, and I kept looking at each of them as I tried to figure out what was it that was making them stare at each other than that.

But all of a sudden, something in my mind struck me. The more I looked at both Semele and Dionysus one by one, I seemed to be picking up two things about the both of them that had somehow made them look… _similar_.

Firstly; both of them had curly hair that was a dark chestnut brown in colour.

Secondly; both of them had hazel brown eyes.

Lastly; there was something in Dionysus' facial features that made him look somewhat like Semele, if it were not for his masculine looks.

As though struck by a lightning bolt, my mind suddenly started clicking together in fast motion. I was starting to get a flicker of moving images that were my memories, and I was collecting the bits and pieces that seemed related to this very moment.

But mostly, my thoughts were centering around a certain memory of Dionysus and I. It was a memory that I had forgotten because it had been seven or so years ago, but it was coming to the front of my mind in this very moment.

It had been during the time when just a few weeks ago I had discovered that he was actually a god, and that he was not 'Dion' but Dionysus who was the Olympian God of Wine and Ecstasy. It was a time when I was still new to the revelry, still getting used to the culture of his rituals, and before we even got married after our whirlwind courtship.

At this point of time, we were already close and trusting each other enough to tell more about our life stories. After I had told him the story of my own family, Dionysus told me that he does not really know the love of parents; he had been raised by cloud nymphs on Mount Nysa, and his father had been too busy philandering and producing more offsprings whereas his mother had been deceased before he was even born. Interested by the story of him having a mortal mother, which would have rightfully made him a demigod (had it not been for the fact that Zeus had carried him to full term in the last few months of his development, which enabled him to be born a full-blooded god), I asked him about what he knew about her. Dionysus told me that he did not know much…

Other than the fact that his mother was a mortal…

She had been accidentally killed by his father due to the machinations of his vengeful wife…

He had her hair and eye colour…

And that her name was Semele.

* * *

Dionysus

I have heard plenty of tales about her, and I have always imagined how she would look like. But I have never thought of her too much, mostly because she had been gone away from my life way before my life had even started. Thus, I could not actually come to love her, because she did not carry me to full term in her womb nor did she raise me from birth.

However, it would be a lie to say that I never wished I could meet her. I had always wanted to, very much.

But never before would I think I could actually come face-to-face with my own birth mother in the Elysian Fields, as I would collect my wife from the dead.

It would sound slightly stupid to say that I knew that the woman standing across from me was my mother. I mean, I have never before met my mother and I did not know what she looked like, so how could I tell that this woman – this particular woman – was my mother?

Well, there was the fact that I had the exact same hair and eye colour as her, which was the two traits that I have been told often was the two traits I had inherited from my mother, which would be two things that made the both of us similar.

But other than those two obvious factors, it was also the inner instinct that came from deep inside me that told me I shared a connection with her. It was not just some feeling that I knew her from somewhere before or I have caught a glimpse of her in the past. The connection I felt with her was much more stronger than that. It was some sort of connection that was both emotional and spiritual, residing deep within my being that I knew it had been implemented in there from a very, very long time ago.

I could remember myself being developed inside of her, feeling her aura surrounding me and giving me the sense of comfort and security. I could feel myself being felt by her, remembering the sensation of being in near direct contact with her own skin. I could hear her voice as she talked and sang to me; despite the sound being quite foggy and unclear, it was definitely her voice. I could remember the words she told me whenever she caressed her pregnant stomach which held me inside; I could remember her telling me how much she loved me.

It was that connection I felt and had with this woman that made me realize that, despite having never met her and having never seen her, I knew that she was none other than my own mother.

Subconsciously, I stood up and started taking small and slow steps towards her. I walked past my wife who I did not pay any mind to at that moment, because I was too focused on the woman. Anyway, Ariadne did not do anything to regain my attention either, and she had voluntarily stepped back to allow me direct access to the woman.

She stood completely still, rooted to the ground she was standing upon. Her brown eyes had never left my brown eyes as I approached her with careful steps, her gaze only becoming more unwavering the very second I came to a stop right in front of her.

Without fully thinking, I took one of her hands in one of my mine. It was when our skins finally came into contact did the feeling of familiarity of her touch increased tenfold. My heart started racing, and I slightly affirmed my grasp. I was utterly surprised when she did the same gesture.

When I could find my voice, I asked her, "Are you… Semele?"

Instantly, she nodded her head. "Yes, I am," she answered, and the sound of her voice made me feel yet another sense of familiarity.

Exhaling another deep breath, I told her, "I know this might sound crazy… because I have never before seen or met you… But…"

I could not find the words to continue on, but I was then distracted by her suddenly taking hold of my other hand. She held my hands gently, her thumbs caressing my skin, as she continued to gaze at me with a certain particular look in her eyes and a smile on her lips.

"She is," I heard Hades say from the side.

I looked over to him in confusion as to what he was talking about, and saw that he was still looking at me neutrally as he told me knowingly, effectively ceasing any doubts I had, "Dionysus, she is indeed your mother, Semele."

"Gods above…" I heard her say in a shocked whisper that seemed to, once again, be on the brink of tears.

I was quiet and still when she released her hold on my hands and moved forward to wrap her arms around me, taking me in a gentle and loving embrace. She was shorter than I was, so she was able to press her face against the curve of my shoulder.

As she hugged me, she murmured to me, "I feel a connection to you… You are the child that I borne inside my womb… The son that I had thought I had lost forever… I cannot believe it… I truly cannot believe that here I am, standing before you… You are even more beautiful than how I dreamed you would look grown… My son…"

I did nothing but think about what I felt at this very moment. Here was a woman I have never known hugging me so lovingly that it felt quite strange. But on the other hand, I could not deny that this woman was my mother – I felt the connection and my own blood uncle affirmed the suspicion – and she had already begun to consider me her son.

With that last thought in mind, it was what made me wrap my own arms around her and affirm our embrace.

* * *

Ariadne

"So you are his mother…" I whispered in awe when I approached them after they had released their hold on each other. "I should have known… He had always talked to me about you when we had first gotten married…"

Semele looked away from Dionysus to me, and her eyes widened in shock.

"He is your husband?" she questioned in surprise. I nodded my head, and the smile on her lips broadened a lot. "This is such good news! I have reunited with my beloved son who I had always yearned to see, and now I have. I had now come to consider you a daughter. But now that I know that you are truly the wife of my dear son, that would indeed make you my daughter. Oh, praise the great gods and goddesses for giving me this blessing!"

Semele was so exuberant at this moment that she then pulled me and Dionysus into an embrace. My husband and I locked eyes on each other, utterly fazed by the spur of moments that were taking place. First, he had descended into the Underworld to retrieve me from the dead; Second, Semele was the mother Dionysus had always wished to meet and Dionysus was the son that Semele had apparently lost; Third, that would make Semele, who I had come to consider a surrogate mother, actually my mother by marriage.

But despite how shocking and surprising and absolutely confusing all of these were, I knew that all of us were glad that it happened. So, without further ado, Dionysus and I joined in Semele's embrace, forming one big group hug of our own.

It was a while until we released each other; probably because the moment seemed so good that we did not want it to end. But it was the reminder that the three of us were not alone that made us direct our attention to the Underworld rulers standing nearby.

Persephone was watching the three of us with a smile on her lips, her eyes looking slightly teary as well. Standing right behind her, Hades stood with a hand placed upon one of his wife's shoulder, still looking at all three of us with a masked expression.

Gently pulling off her husband's hands off her, Persephone then approached us and informed me gently in a happy tone, "You are free now, Ariadne."

Her words resonated through me, causing a sensation of lightening in my still heart. I wanted to laugh ecstatically and jump for joy at the thought that I was to be free of Death, and I would soon be reunited my loving Dionysus. But it was the reminder of what would happen to Semele that had cut the sensation short. And once again, I felt pained at the thought that I would have to leave her and she would be all alone her again.

My hesitation must have been clear on my expression, and a pair of warm hands came to rest upon my shoulders. Looking up, I realized that Semele was now standing in front of me, looking at me with gentle eyes and a warm smile.

Her hands moved to cup my cheeks, and her thumbs wiped away the streaks of tears that had been there. In a soothing murmur, she told me, "Go, dear Ariadne. Be with your husband once again. Do not worry about me, for I would want nothing else but your happiness. And the thought now that you are the soul mate of my lost son, I only pray with all my heart that you would have nothing in your life but blissful happiness."

"No…No!" I cried out in a rushed outburst, bringing my hands quickly to take hers in my grasp. This caused a shock response from everyone, but I did not care as I continued to plead, "No, I don't want to leave you, Semele! I hold you dear to my heart now, and the thought of being away from you pains me as well!"

Without a single thought, I exclaimed in utmost desperation, "Come with us, Semele! Return with us to the land of the living!"

Semele – looking at me with wide eyes and an agape mouth – was absolutely speechless, and could not find any response to my answer. Then her brown eyes began to have a flicker of fleeting emotions; hesitance, uncertainty, and then hopefulness.

It was Dionysus who broke us out of this moment, stating in a low murmur of voice, "Yes. I would very much like it as well if you were to return with us to the world above. I shall make you a goddess as well, and you will have the honorary title of being my mother, just as Ariadne would have the honorary title of being my consort."

The thought of my husband actually agreeing to my plead created a new wave of excited hopefulness in me, and I wanted to think that things might really work out.

But then it was crushed when I saw him slid his gaze to Hades, looking at the Underworld King with a similar pleading expression as mine.

* * *

Dionysus

Hades was looking at us with a new look of grim contemplation. His arms were crossed, his eyebrows furrowed into a frown, his pitch black eyes piercing to our gazes, his jaw taut and tense, and his lips pursed in what might be disapproval of our plead on my mother's behalf.

"You do know that what you are asking of me is not something that I would lightly agree upon," he answered as matter-of-factly, his voice as grim as his expression. "I had allowed you to take back your wife, but I did not give you permission to take back your mother as well, nephew."

I tensed noticeably, undeniably afraid that he would reject my addition to my initial appeal. Yes, I knew what I was asking for more than what I had intended to do, such as the expression of 'biting off more than you could chew'. But I really did want to bring my mother with us. I finally had the chance to know her, talk to her, spend time with her, and maybe even love her; that chance was only one in a million. I did not want to lose it now.

I was even prepared to go on my knees and beg him to accept my new appeal. Just as I would go through the obstacles of finding a portal to the Underworld to reclaim Ariadne, I was willing to do anything to get him to give me his permission to allow me to reclaim my mother as well.

But just then, Persephone went to his side once again. Without a word, she unfolded his arms and held his hands in hers. His eyes were immediately shifted from us to focusing solely on her. His expression softened noticeably, looking at her with a questioning and uncertain gaze. Once again, Persephone said nothing as she looked into her husband's eyes.

And while I kept quiet and cast my sights away from them out of respect, it did not take me long to realize that Persephone was actually helping me in my cause, trying to get Hades to see reason to allow me this appeal.

After a while, Hades then let out a long sigh after Persephone released his hands and moved to stand by his side once again. He shut his eyes in concentration, keeping absolutely still and quiet.

"You are lucky that seeing your devotion to both your wife and your mother has made me impressed and sentimental. Never before have I seen a god perform such noble deeds before," he remarked as he opened his eyes once again to look at me. "And to see a happy family stay together would most please me, and thus I will allow you to bring both your wife Ariadne and your mother Semele back to the world above."

* * *

Author's Note:

I'm back! And officially 16 years old now! :D

So Dionysus not only had a happy reunion with Ariadne, but he also meets his birth mother for the very first time! And all thanks to Hades' compassion - and Persephone's persuasion - Dionysus can bring the both of them back to the Aboveworld!

It only goes to show that _**Drunk On Love** _has only **_2_** chapters left until the ending!

Anyway, let me clear some doubt that has been going on with Hades. So I have received some inquiries from readers of both **_Drunk On Love_**and **_Promises_ **about why Hades had allowed Dionysus to take back Ariadne when he had not allowed Artemis to take back Orion (even though she was his favourite niece). Well, I will answer that very special question now, for any of you who are curious as well (I had a review about this quite some time ago, if I am not wrong).

If you notice, Persephone is present in the Underworld currently on this fanfiction, and it had been her who had managed to get Hades to see reason and accept Dionysus. Off topic, like in the tale of Orpheus and Eurydice, it had been Persephone who had persuaded Hades to let Orpheus try to take back Eurydice to the surface. Both times, Hades agreed to Persephone's words.

However, Persephone was _not _present in _**Promises** _when Artemis went to the Underworld to appeal for Orion's soul, and Hades did not accept her appeal.

Answer; Persephone can somewhat influence Hades to alter decisions, which he usually ends up agreeing to. But without her, Hades sticks to what he thinks is right with no persuasion from others. So had Persephone been in the Underworld during **_Promises_**, Hades could have accepted Artemis' appeal because his wife could have persuaded him. Unfortunately, she wasn't...

SO! Hope that clears things us a bit!

I hope you all are ready for the final two chapters! And then I can reveal my next project, that I had been _dying _to tell you guys!

See you on Monday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	42. PART 3: Chapter 9

_**Part 3: Chapter 9**_

Ariadne

Without hesitation, I rushed forward and fell to my knees onto the ground right before him. I leaned my body forward to place myself in a prostrate and bowed before him to show just how much I respected him as a god and a king.

Keeping my forehead pressed to the green grass, I told him in a breathless rush, "Great King Hades… Thank you for allowing me to reunite with my husband… Thank you for allowing Semele to follow us back to the land of the living… I… I… I simply cannot thank you enough for allowing us this rare chance… A kind and merciful king you are indeed… Bless you and your Queen…"

I stayed that way for a while, tying hard to take in the fact that this was truly happening. It must seem like a dream; a dream that I was so very afraid I would wake up from and soon forget. But the feel of grass on my face and the voice of Semele muttering in prayers to thank the high heavens were so very real that I knew that this was thankfully not a dream at all. I swear if my heart was still beating right now, its pace would be rapid and racing with excitement and joy.

Suddenly, I felt a masculine hand being placed gently on my shoulder, and I then looked up to see Hades kneeling in front of me to level his gaze onto mine. His fathomless black eyes, despite still looking daunt, seemed much more softer now.

"Ariadne, it would seem that there has been another special request for you," he informed me. "Someone else wishes to see you before you leave from my kingdom for good."

The confusion set into me immediately, and I could feel myself frowning at his words. "Who else is there that would want to see me, my lord?" I questioned.

"Close your eyes and I shall take you to him," he instructed me knowingly.

When I heard the word 'him', I already knew exactly who he was talking about.

I turned my head around to look at Dionysus and Semele, who were standing aside and watching me quietly. I especially focused my gaze on my husband, trying to ask him mentally if I should do this or not. Dionysus did not say anything, but he closed his eyes and gave me a soft smile, just as he nodded his head once in agreement. Beside him, Semele just looked at me gently with her own smile.

"You will return to your husband and Semele when he has spoken what he wishes to speak to you about," Hades told me in certainty. "Do not be afraid, Ariadne. He does not mean you any ill intentions. He just wants to see you again."

Hades must have said that last part because he must have somehow felt the fear that I could feel was rising within me. I mean, how could I not feel afraid? The very last time I had seen who he was talking about when I was still alive, he had angrily disowned me as his daughter and wanted badly to have me killed for committing treason. It did not matter whether or not I was his flesh and blood; the thought that he had wanted me dead still frightened me to no extent.

But when Hades told me that he did not mean me any harm, I felt compelled to believe him. The king could surely not say that to give me a false sense of security. Every word that was spoken from his mouth was all truthful and never once a lie, and I knew now to believe that he was kind enough to tell me to not be afraid.

_Might as well I get this over and done with… _I told myself in reassurance. _Be brave, Ariadne… You are stronger than before…_

So I then slid my eyes shut, chanting to myself mentally four words of reassurance.

_It will be alright…_

I suddenly felt the tips of Hades' lean fingers touching my forehead, and I was suddenly gone to someplace else.

The darkness I saw behind my eyelids was suddenly replaced by a bright white light. I thought at first that this must be something that was going on in my head, but then I realised that I was actually blinking, which meant that I was actually in an abyss of bright nothingness. This certain abyss with its bright aura – the feeling of soft sunshine and moonshine altogether – suddenly reminded me of the time I was first transitioned into the Elysian Fields when I had been given my sentence by Hades and Persephone. But instead of it being just for a fleeting moment, I seemed to be completely in the abyss this time.

However, I was wrong about it being full of nothingness. There was something.

Or more specifically, _someone_.

He had his back to me when I had first appeared, but he then turned around at that moment. Minos now stood facing me, his eyes looking right back at mine.

"F-Father…" I heard myself subconsciously murmur.

He took a deep breath and exhaled it out slowly. In the deep voice of his that I surprisingly still remembered even after seven years, he replied, "Ariadne."

He started to approach me then, while I remained still with anxiety and uncertainty. It was true that he did not sound even the slightest bit raged or spiteful or disgusted, instead sounding just like how he would usually speak normally and calmly. But still the thought of being near my father, considering the fact that our relationship had been severed greatly on bad terms, made me absolutely fearful and anxious.

Clearing my throat which had gone dry, I muttered meekly, "It… has been… quite a long time…"

"Indeed it has," he said knowingly with a nod of his head when he finally stood in front of me.

Now feeling very uncomfortable, I took to crossing my arms in front of my chest (as if I could protect myself like that…) and fidget uncomfortably as I casted my eyes downwards, wondering what else could I say to him in this admittedly bittersweet reunion.

"I… I did not know that… You are…" I did not continue out of hesitant to mention the fact that he was _in _the Underworld.

I heard him exhale a low sigh, which held something felt heavy and weary. But before I could even think to know what it was, a thin and slightly wrinkly hand cupped my chin and gently tilted my head upwards, causing me to look into the grey eyes of my father. I gulped unconsciously, feeling more nervous by the second as I now looked back into his eyes. His gaze, even back then, had always been unwavering and focused, as though he was a predator focused on his next prey. Such a stare could scare anyone and make them anxious; myself included.

But it was then I realized that his eyes did not really look as hard or stony as I had expected them to be. Instead, it was soft and gentle, and almost remorseful-looking. Such an expression could only suit that of my father when he was at point of utmost sorrow.

I could not bring myself to look away, so I maintained his gaze and tried to get myself to stay calm. As I did, he asked me in a low murmur, "Do you still fear me, my daughter?"

Now that was a question I clearly did not expect him to ask. And now I was anxious again; not because I did not know how to answer it, but because I know all too well what was my answer.

"You are hesitant, but I can tell from your eyes that you do," he suddenly said lowly but knowingly. "You still do fear me…"

In an attempt to calm the constant growing anxiety that was deep within me, I replied hesitantly in a shaky voice that was trembling with fear, "Y-Yes…"

I casted my eyes downwards again as the anxiety and fear were already starting to get more and more serious with each passing second. I wanted to break off his hold and run away, not wanting to face any bad thing that could possibly occur at such a moment like this. But I was frozen, rooted to the spot as I could only stand before my father.

All of a sudden, his fingers moved from under my chin to my cheek, bringing the fingertips down the skin gently in a caress. His eyes continued to hold that sense of gentleness as he looked back at me, watching my every reaction.

"Quite understandable…" he whispered, maybe to himself. He too casted his eyes downwards as he carried on speaking, but now in a low and very grim tone of voice. "My last actions towards you had been enough to cause you to be afraid of your own father… How foolish and cruel I had been because of it…"

Now, however, I was slightly confused, and I unknowingly tilted my head back up to look at him, realizing that he looked just as grim as he sounded. I really wondered what was with his sudden change in demeanour.

"Ariadne…" he breathed my name in a low exhale of breath. "Dear Ariadne… My dear daughter… I… I had requested our lord Hades to allow me some time to just speak to you, because I fear that I now do not have any more time to lose… I had asked to see you, because I wish to personally apologize to you for what I had done… I wish to repent to you all the wrong that I had foolishly committed towards you…"

His hand on my face moved to take hold of both my hands in his. He held them with a gentle grip, his wrinkly and leathery skin pressing lightly against the softness of my smooth hands. I looked down at our intertwined hands, keeping quiet as I allowed him to go on.

"You truly do not know how remorseful I feel towards you at this very moment, my daughter. Seven years have passed since we had last seen each other, and our last encounter had been anything but pleasant. I remember that day like a haunting memory. I remembered how I had condemned, cursed, disowned and banished you, and had even ordered your head be cut off. But I admit to you now that those are deeds that I did not mean to commit, but it had already been committed out of blind anger and rage. I was so caught up with the thought that the Minotaur being dead, and that the tradition of the annual sacrifice of fourteen Athenians now destroyed. I cannot believe that I had valued something of such cruelty above you. I cannot believe that I had actually ordered you killed, just because you had helped in saving fourteen lives and more fourteen lives that could have come."

A bead of wetness fell onto the top of my hand, and I realized that he was actually starting to cry. Tears had already welled up in his eyes, with some steadfastly streaming down his cheeks in messy rivulets. He did not make to wipe them away, instead continuing on with his words.

"When you had taken your younger sister with you when you ran away with the prince of Athens, I thought that I could live with it, reasoning with myself that the both of you – especially you – had been nothing but burdens, which I had been thankfully relieved of. Gods above, how I was so very wrong back then. I remember clearly how I would tell myself constantly that you would only shame me if you were to continue living in Crete, and soil the family name by having been in allegiance with Theseus. However, no matter how much I tried to think of you as insignificant and forget about you altogether, it failed. You constantly haunted my mind, Ariadne. Every second, every minute and every hour, my mind kept me thinking of you. Whether it was a memory of mine that involved you, or just an image of your face, I was constantly reminded of you."

Another shaky exhale of breath, and he then asked me quietly, "And do you know what I realized then, Ariadne?"

I remained quiet, waiting to hear what he had to say.

"I finally realized that I felt guilty about what I had done to you, and that I was so ever remorseful for having driven you away from your homeland and from your family. I missed you so much. I missed your beautiful smile, your warm presence and your loving demeanour. I regretted what I had done to you; regret, when it comes to you, I have oceans of it. It would not be a surprise if you do not forgive me. In fact, I think I do not even deserve your forgiveness for my cruelty towards you."

All of a sudden, he went down on his knees, let go of my hands and bowed before me in prostate. It was then he started to cry; I could hear him sobbing and see him shaking. I could do nothing but stay standing still and watching him, out of shock and confusion. His hands, shaking fervently, reached out and grabbed the hem of my dress in handfuls.

"I am so very sorry, my dear Ariadne…" his voice spoke in broken sobs. "I am so very sorry… I was horrible to you… Harsh… Cruel… Evil… I am everything that is vile… I am ashamed that I am your father and I had done such a thing to you… I am ashamed that I had let anger take over me and made me commit the gravest sin towards you… When I died, I died feeling empty, because you were not there for me to see in my final moments… I am ashamed that I was weak and did not even have the heart to find you and bring you home… I am so very ashamed… I am so very sorry…"

The sight of my father in such a state had triggered a sort of emotion within me. I felt pitiful to see him crying and sobbing so very remorsefully, and I too felt like I wanted to cry at how sincere he was being as he apologized to me over and over again. I could clearly see now that he truly was regretful of his past actions, and was trying in the earnest to let me know how sorry he was.

Knowing this, I then made to kneel before my father and cupped the sides of his face to tilt it so that his eyes were looking at me. His grey eyes were red and teary, and there was such a heavy pain and sadness that lied within. Quietly, my thumbs gently wiped away the tear trails on his cheeks, my eyes continued to hold his gaze.

"Dear father…" I began, my voice low and soft in a whisper. "It pains me to see you sad…"

"I deserve the sadness," he bitterly replied. "This is my punishment for my sins…"

In response, I shook my head in disagreement. "I cannot say that I wish for you to suffer, Father… I see your guilt and remorse, and I know that you truly do regret what you had done… Although I was afraid, I will admit to you that I had missed you as well… When I think of you during our happier times, I always yearn to go back home to Crete… But nothing bad had happened to me when I was banished… Theseus had gotten rid of me, but the god Dionysus found me and made me his wife and the Queen of his revelries and rituals… I am happy with him, now that I am his wife and the mother of his twelve sons… So you did not cause me any unhappiness at all…"

Suddenly, a small smile started playing on his lips. It was small and nearly could not be seen, but it gradually got more noticeable as it broadened.

"It is good to hear that you have found your happiness, dear Ariadne. And I am proud for the person you had become. Unlike your sister Phaedra who had lived a life of cruelty and vile intentions which had earned her a life in the eternal fiery depths of horrible Tartarus, you have been a kind and merciful soul to all those around you, and that truly made you worthy of residing in the Elysian Fields. But now, you are going to deserve something much better. You will become a goddess, the most mightiest and most powerful of beings. You will be loved, and praised all around."

He then got out of his prostration position and sat on his haunches closer to me. It was then he extended out his arms and pulled me into an embrace, his hug gentle yet strong. Without hesitation and with gentleness, I too brought my own arms around him to enforce our embrace.

I heard him sigh, and then he told me softly, "I feel content now to know that there is no longer any bad blood between us, and that you have found yourself a life of happiness. I am glad that the Fates had woven good omens into your thread of life. You are a strong woman, my dear daughter. You have braved through a storm of difficulties to have made it to what you are now. I admire you for your strength, as well as how I admire you for your compassion."

Hearing those words of sweet praise brought tears to my eyes, and I gently hugged him tighter. "Thank you, Father… And I too am sorry for all the wrong I had done you… I am just so glad to know that there will no longer be any strain and bad blood between us… Thank the high heavens…"

I smiled to myself at how comforting the embrace felt; how any hug shared between my father and me always had been when there had been nothing but love and affection in our bond. I realized now how much I missed these sorts of affections, which I have never gotten for seven years. And I knew now that I was just so very glad that there will no longer be any anger any hatred and mistakes between us anymore.

I felt him place a kiss to the top of my head, followed by a gentle caress of my hair. "My dear sweet daughter…" he murmured in soft sorrow. "As much as I am thankful for Lord Hades to allow me some time with you, and as much as I am thankful that I have been blessed by the Fates with the chance to see you once more… I am sorrowful to tell you that it is now time for us to part for good..."

A sudden clenching started in my heart, and I tightened my embrace on him instantly. Suddenly, I was so consume with an all new pain and sadness. The thought of leaving my father was the one to now devastate me this time.

"Father…" I could only say, unable to speak through this time of grief.

He shushed me gently and pulled me back slightly so that I was looking at him once again. His finger gently wiped away any tear that threatened to fall, and his hands then came to rest gently on my shoulders as he held me.

"Dear Ariadne, I know how much it is painful for both of us to part, now that we have reconciled… But what is weaved into our respective threads of life cannot be undone… I have been dead for considerably a long time now, and I have already come to be bonded to the Underworld as one of its three judges… I cannot leave the Underworld that I have now considered my final home… But you… You have another chance at life, and you are to be a goddess… You truly do not know how proud I am that you have deserved such an honorary title that is above even that of the greatest kings who rule the lands… I want you to be happy, for someone like you deserve a lifetime of happiness…"

This time, it was me who embraced him, and I embraced him with a gentle firmness to indicate how much I was savouring this moment while it would last. I knew that I could no longer deny that this would be the very last time I would ever see, hear or feel my father, so I was making this moment worthwhile.

"I will miss you, Father… I love you…" I whispered in a voice that was threatening to break with tears.

Father hugged me back, and this time his embrace was one of sorrow. I could feel his tears falling onto the top of my head, wetting my hair. In a shaky heavy voice, he murmured, "And I love you… Ariadne, my dear daughter… If ever you yearn, just remember that I will always remember you and hold you dear to my heart…"

Still remaining in that embrace, I could feel a shift in the air. The aura of the bright white nothingness was slowly disappearing, its brightness slowly starting to dull.

Knowing that my time was up, I whispered my final words to him.

"Goodbye, Father…"

* * *

Author's Note:

I am a terrible author... I forgot that I had intended to publish this chapter yesterday... Slipped out of my mind (I'm not used to this odd updates now) :(

But alas, it is alright, for it is now published!

So it seems that Ariadne finally manages to settle one last matter before leaving for good. I'm just glad that she was able to forgive her father for his mistakes, as well as apologize for hers. And thankfully, all the bad blood between them has finally disappeared, and they have reconciled with tender affections :)

And so, this leaves me with just **1 **chapter left of _**Drunk On Love** _and the epilogue, both of which will come out on Saturday. I can honestly say that I cannot wait!

See you on Saturday!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	43. PART 3: Chapter 10

_**Part 3: Chapter 10**_

Ariadne

I could not feel myself afterwards, only the constant shifting of everything all around me. But I do know that the feeling of my father's comforting arms was no longer holding me in an embrace, and I could feel tears streaming down my cheeks at that thought that finally, we were separated for good by the powers of Death and the machinations of the Fates.

But just then, I could feel everything around me starting to take place, as well as the feeling of two familiar strong and loving arms being wrapped around me gently, holding my frame to his toned and warm chest.

I opened my eyes slowly and immediately saw Dionysus looking at me with concern clear in his hazel eyes. Beside him, Semele too was watching me worriedly, most probably wondering what had gone on that had made me cry.

A quick look-around made me realize that all of us were in Hades' throne room; the very throne room where I had encountered the King and Queen for the first time. By 'all of us', I meant me, Dionysus and Semele, with Hades and Persephone, along with a young blonde, green-eyed god – who I did not know whom, as I had never met him before – standing aside quietly, watching me like the others were.

I looked around at the faces of everyone, but I said nothing. Instead, I quietly hugged back my husband and buried my face in the curve of his neck, breathing in his divine aromatic scent and relishing in the softness of his velvet skin.

We stayed that way for a little while longer, not being disturbed by anyone by quite an amount of time. Dionysus too did not ask me of what had gone on, instead respectfully keeping quiet and holding me as I want him to hold me. I was thankful for his understanding at the moment, and made a promise to myself to actually tell him of what had gone on during my last encounter with my father.

It was then Persephone came up to us, her beautiful soft and warm smile still on her lips. She looked at the both of us when we pulled away, and informed us in her melodic voice, "It is time for you to go now."

* * *

Dionysus

We followed Hades and Persephone to the river Styx; Ariadne being held to me by my arm wrapped around her frame and my mother who was on my other side with her hand clutching mine. Hermes had been quietly following us from behind, until he increased his pace to be walking alongside my wife.

"I do not think I have introduced myself to you," Hermes informed her with a charming smile. "I am Hermes, Dionysus' half-brother and friend. 'Tis an honour for me to finally meet you, Ariadne. I have heard of so many good things."

Ariadne responded with a kind smile of her own. "'Tis an honour for me to meet you as well, great Lord Hermes."

Hermes gave a slight wave of dismissal and exclaimed in a friendly manner, "Come now! No need for any formalities between us! You are the wife of my younger half-brother for seven years, which would make you my half-sister by your marriage. I consider you family now, Ariadne! You can refer to me as your brother if you would like to!"

When Ariadne smiled and thanked Hermes for his kind words, I smiled at how quickly my wife had been able to easily get along with my favourite half-sibling and my best friend. By the looks of it, it was already apparent that a bond between them was already taking place. I wondered if she would be able to be close to all my half-siblings in this sort of manner, other than Artemis who she was already very close to.

After a while, we reached the main doors of the palace. With a short wave of his hand, the doors opened accordingly upon Hades' silent command. The King and Queen then continued on outside, with the rest of us following right behind them.

The sight of the river Styx was as dull and dreary and incredibly mystifying as the first time I saw it when I had first gotten here a long while ago, and it seemed that my actions were not the only one. At both my sides, both Ariadne and Semele took in the sight of the river with wide eyes and gobsmacked expressions.

"How long have I not seen this great river of the Underworld?" I heard my mother murmur to herself in disbelief. "Far too long, I know…"

Subconsciously, I squeezed her hand in a reassuring manner when I heard the tone of melancholy in her voice. She turned to look at me deep in the eyes, and I smiled in return. Slowly, a gentle smile played on her own pair of lips.

I turned my head to the other side when I felt Ariadne turning her body towards me and giving me a small hug. Her head leaning against my shoulder, she quietly told me, "I am just glad that my time in the Underworld had been good while it lasted. But I can truly say how excited and joyful I feel that I am able to return to the world above to be with you, my love."

I smiled at her sweet and loving words, feeling my heart grow light with happiness. I pressed my cheek against the top of her head, inhaling the scent of her hair that still smelled sweet and divine. I sighed in content as her scent overpowered my senses, starting to make me feel slightly drunk.

But then my eyes darted towards the river Styx, and I could feel them widen to twice its size when I caught sight of something I had never expected to see at all.

Approaching the banks of the river was the ferry of the ferryman Charon. I could see many souls on board it, making their way to the land where they would then be led to their judgement. I could see that all of the souls were one of the same; pale, plain, lifeless and, most especially, dead. There was not even a hint of life in their features, all who looked nothing but absolutely grim and solemn.

But it was one soul that caught my complete attention. It was a soul of that of an old man who, at this point of his life, already looked like a living skeleton, since I could see most of his bones showing through his sagging old skin. He was hunching greatly, his long white beard and mustachio hanging from his face. Creased by many wrinkles that came with age, his face showed just how miserable he was at the thought that he was in the Underworld.

I was overcome with shock, considering the fact that I was now looking at the soul of the old man that I had just encountered right before I arrived in the Underworld.

"Prosymnus…"

He did not meet my eyes, too preoccupied in his own thoughts to even bother looking around the great dark chthonic Underworld around him. However, I was glad that he did not meet my eyes, for I do think that it would only increase the feeling of absolute guilt and sympathy that was starting to blossom within me.

Guilt and sympathy for what, exactly?

Of course, I remembered the deal I had made with him before I dove into the dark cold waters of the Alkyonian Lake; he showed me the lake that held the secret portal to the Underworld, in exchange that I offer him my body for him to pleasure himself in the joys of the flesh. I could not deny that I had been half-hearted and hesitant to accept his proposal, considering the fact that I considered myself monogamous now and that I was intentional to only be faithful to only my wife. But I was a god of my word, and I did indeed wanted to show him my thanks for helping me. What other way than to allow him anything he desired? Unfortunately, that happened to be me.

But with him now gone, I was free of the promise I made to him. I would not give him my body, since he was now dead and would not be able to partake in the pleasures of sex anymore. Thus, I would be able to keep to my vow and stay faithful to Ariadne.

However, the thought of just forgetting about the promise made me uneasy. Like I had said, I was a god of my word, and I would honour anyone who was able to earn my good graces in anything they did. To simply forget about honouring him – he who had helped me in a time of most desperate need – was not something nice to think and feel about, and it made me pitiful that I would not be able to honour him, no matter how much the proposal had been disturbing to me.

And because of that, I made a silent vow to myself that I would still honour him when I had ascended back to the Aboveworld. It may not be in the way he had intentionally wished for, but it would still be a great honour as it would be a sign of my good graces.

_This, I promise to you, Prosymnus… May you rest in peace…_

I finally tore my sights away from the old man and broke out of my deep thoughts when I felt a nudge from Ariadne. I snapped out of my state of still silence and immediately looked at Hermes, who was already standing at the edge of the banks.

With a smile, Hermes informed me as he raised an inviting hand to us, "It is time for us to go. So, if you will, Dionysus."

I nodded my head in confirmation. But of course, I would not simply leave without a few final words with my uncle and my half-sister, who were the two who had made this opportunity possible.

I released my hold on my mother and my wife and made my way to Hades and Persephone, who were quietly standing aside and watching us. Hades held my gaze, even when I stopped and knelt onto the ground in front of him. With a bow of my head, I said firmly in gratitude, "I thank you and your Queen, Lord Hades. If it had not been for your fairness and good graciousness, all of this would not be able to happen. Forever I will be in your debt, for it is all I can offer to you for allowing this to happen."

Hades did not say anything, but he did give me a slight smile – which seemed slightly strange for me to witness, considering the fact that I have rarely ever seen Hades actually _smile_, especially one so genuine – and a nod of his head. But it was Persephone who spoke, telling me in her sweet voice, "We are just happy to see that you are able to reunite with both your wife and your mother, Dionysus. I can now only give you my good wishes that your life will be nothing but happy and joyful with the both of them."

"It will be," I told her in certainty, smiling at the thought of having them in my life from now on.

But then, Hades added in, with a frown that had replaced the small smile, "But of course, I can honestly tell you that I do not wish to see you here in the Underworld for businesses such as these again. It is so very rarely that I will allow this to happen, but I most certaintly and absolutely do not have any intentions to make it common."

Rising to my height once again, I nodded my head in understanding. "Of course, Lord Hades. And I apologize sincerely for all the trouble I had put you through. But once again, thank you for graciousness for allowing me this benefit of a doubt."

Hades dismissively nodded his head. "Very well, then. I accept your apology, nephew. And I will be honest in telling you that I had allowed you this blessing for your devotion to your wife was indeed very admirable. It is rare that I see any god who would be so willing to go through risks to be reunited with his wife."

And at that point, he turned his head to look at Persephone, and his expression softened immediately. As Persephone smiled and kept contact with his eyes, he murmured lowly, "Any sort of love and devotion deserves a blessing…"

Hades then sighed and looked away from Persephone and back to me. With a gesture of his head to the waiting Hermes, he said, "Now go. Return to the world above to continue your life, with your wife and mother. Farewell, nephew, until the next time we meet."

"Farewell, Dionysus," Persephone bade me goodbye with a soft smile gracing her lips. "I will hope to see you again very soon."

I bowed to Hades and Persephone deeply and gave another few words of gracious thanks before I made my way back to Ariadne and Semele. Taking each of their hands in mine, I took them with me to Hermes.

When he was sure that we were ready, he offered his hand again to me and informed knowingly, "Our way to the Mount Olympus will be very quick, but may cause some difficulties for Ariadne and Semele, for they are mortal and would not be used to the speed I travel at. So, I suggest that they hold on tight."

Immediately, my arm wrapped around my mother's frame and held her firmly to me while Ariadne wrapped both her arms around me in the same sort of firmness. With the both of them now secured to me, I then took hold of Hermes' hand, and nodded to him to signify that we were ready.

He nodded back with a smile and turned around. With the flutter of the wings on his headband and his pair of sandals, he took one step off the banks, and was finally making his way out of the Underworld at top speed in just a few seconds.

* * *

Ariadne

What Hermes said was true; a mortal would _not _be used to the speed he travelled at. He was faster than any of the fastest creatures of Earth, seeming like he moved at the speed of light _and _sound mixed together.

Instead of the light breeze I was hoping for, which would have been my first breath of fresh air when I had completely gotten out of the Underworld, I felt myself being bared against strong gusts of wind as we were taking flight. The air was biting cold and chilled me to the very marrows of my bones, and I was almost shivering like crazy if it were not for Dionysus' comforting warmth.

I knew that we were still in flight when it had been so long since I felt solid ground below the soles of my feet, and the fact that I could even hear birds flying around us gave me another indication that we were at a great height in the sky. The sudden disturbing thought of falling scared me, and all I could do was hold on to my husband even tighter and bury my face in the curve of his neck, the thought that he was near me the only comfort I could get right now.

Just then, all of a sudden, I heard Hermes yell out, "Open these gates!" Right afterwards, the sound of heavy metal being dragged radiated through the air loudly, and the young god flew in the direction of the sound.

Slowly, I felt all of us being lowered, but I could not be sure until solid ground had finally touched the soles of my feet. There were no longer any sounds of gushing cold wind or birds in flight. But still, I kept frozen with my arms still wrapped around Dionysus and my face hidden in the curve of his neck, waiting for the shivers that washed over my body slowly fade away.

But just then, I heard Dionysus whisper into my ear, "Welcome to Olympus, dear wife."

Hearing that, my eyes flew open almost instinctively, and I absolutely could not believe the sight before me.

In front of me was the most biggest, beautiful and majestic palace I had ever set my sights on. Shaped out of smooth and pristine white marble with pillars, steps and some towers plated in shining gold and silver metals, the palace was an absolute breath-taking work of architecture. But it was not entirely made out of stone and expensive metals. Surrounding the grand palace were rich greenery of all sorts of nature, ranging from tall healthy trees and shrubs and bushes that were decorated with the most colourful and sweet-smelling flowers in bloom, despite the cold atmosphere.

I doubted that anyone other than a god could build a great house that was so grand and magnificent. In fact, it was a great house that could never exist on the mortal lands; nothing as beautiful as this could ever be found in the mortals land. This was truly a home fit for only the great gods and goddesses of this world.

Suddenly, I heard the sounds of the tall golden doors of the palace open, followed by a very familiar voice of a woman calling out my name in a tone of clear happiness.

"Ariadne! Ariadne!"

I gasped and immediately turned my head in the direction of the voice, and my eyes finally caught sight of Artemis running down the steps and towards me, her arms outstretched, a beautiful big smile on her rosy lips, and her midnight blue eyes twinkling as she looked at me. She continued to call out my name with each step she took running to me.

At the sight of my friend and sister, I could feel my heart soar intensely, and I immediately bolted in her direction. I called out her name like how she called out mine, feeling as much happiness as she was at this moment. I could feel fresh new tears welling up in my eyes and streaming down my face; tears of joy.

Luckily, after only a few short seconds, I met her halfway, and our arms immediately wrapped around each other's frames in a loving embrace.

"Dear sister, you are alive!" Artemis gasped in an exhale of heavy breath as she hugged me tightly. "Thank Mount Olympus!"

"Artemis… My dear friend… I have missed you so much…" I cried quietly, inhaling shaky deep breaths as I pressed my face against her waves of thick and luscious dark blackish-brown hair.

"And I missed you too," she replied, and I could detect the smile in her voice when she said that.

When she pulled me away, but held me gently at her arms' length, it was then I realized that we were now not alone.

Now, many others were emerging out of the grand and great palace, all coming in large groups and masses down the steps and onto the front courtyard that we were standing at. Seeing so many gods and goddesses around me at one time was absolutely breath-taking and exhilarating, and I even began to wonder to myself if this was real life. All of them were absolutely heart-stopping beautiful; such beauty could not possibly exist in so many numbers.

As I took in the sight of the many of them approaching, with many others gathering around us, it was then I realized that all of them had their eyes, attentions and focus locked on me. All of them were watching and looking at me quietly, communicating only through mumbled and hushed tones, from which I could hear traces of the words 'Ariadne', 'Underworld', 'appealed', 'Hades', 'mortal girl', 'Dionysus', 'bride' and 'goddess'.

It would be a lie to say that I did not feel frightened by all this sort of attention that I was receiving. The stares – curious, awed and scrutinising – of the deities were heavy upon me, and I felt so very naked by how they looked at me so intently. I could feel myself become frozen and stiff, afraid to move even. It also made me feel self-conscious, because all of them were so divinely beautiful whereas I was a mere average mortal. Feeling insecure, I hastily wiped away the tears from my eyes and erased away the tear streaks that had stained my cheeks.

But just then, the crowd that surrounded the front of me suddenly parted, making way for the one lone god that was now walking on the created path towards me. When I first set my eyes on the god, my mind immediately told me that he was a powerful being, as shown by the strong and confident strides he took and the expression of power on his facial features. And speaking of his facial features, he was absolutely and majestically beautiful; with silvery-blonde hair that fell to his shoulders and a bearded chin and mustachio, and storm grey eyes that further enhanced his image of strength and power.

Following behind the god was a small contingent of seven other deities – four gods and three goddesses – who I suspected were seven of the Twelve Olympians. All of them walked at a brisk pace, following the lead of the great god. Like the huge crowd around us, these seven too looked at me with scrutinising gazes, which only made the situation feel slightly more worse for me.

Beside him, there was a very beautiful woman with the most luscious wavy hair of red and mahogany shades and the most beautiful eyes that were the colour of ripe amber-gold honey. However, despite how beautiful she looked, there was a sort of snide look in her features and her honey eyes were so very hardened. She walked a few steps behind the god with the same sort of stride of power, her head held high in pride and her movement elegant and graceful.

However, she stopped suddenly when she caught sight of us.

Or more specifically, when she caught sight of Semele.

Immediately, her honey eyes hardened more, becoming clear with a look of disbelief, dismay, rage and anger piled up together. Her lips pursed tightly and her fists clenched and trembled fervently. A frown started creasing her pale beautiful face, and her venomous expression deepened ever so much. As I looked at her, I could almost feel the aura of hate that radiated from her.

At first I wondered why, until I heard Semele uttered something that had added fuel to the fire of anger in the goddess. The name she said made me realize that the angered goddess was none other than Hera, the very goddess who had sent her to her early demise out of revenge.

The name that Semele had said could only belong to the great god standing in front of me.

"Zeus."

Immediately, I gasped in shock, now becoming fully aware of the true identity of the god in front of me. At that moment, I could not believe that I was standing face-to-face and looking at the great and all-powerful King of the Gods, the God of the Skies.

Furthermore, I could not believe that I was standing in front of and facing the father of my husband; my father by marriage.

Zeus focused all his attentions on Semele, not paying even a single bit of attention to Hera, who was now retreating with quickened and hurried steps back into the palace. I did not see her reaction after her forming look of detest and venom, but I guess that she could no longer take the sight of her husband's former lover standing there, looking very much alive despite having died so many long years ago.

She was probably angered over the fact that her plan, although successful in the beginning, had ultimately failed. Her action of running away from the scene was a sign of one thing; she had lost, and she could not bear that humiliating thought.

There was no change to Zeus' expression, but he simply held Semele's gaze in a gentle manner and replied, in a slightly melancholic manner, "Semele."

The silent interaction between Zeus and Semele lasted for a few seconds longer, with neither of them saying anything. But then again, if anyone were in Zeus' position at this moment of seeing his former lover who had been dead for quite a few decades – or centuries? – already, one would not know what words to say either.

The silence was finally broken when Dionysus walked ahead of me and Semele and stood facing right before his father, standing tall with confidence in his position. He gave a bow of respect and announced loudly, "My lord father. Let me make known to you my wife and the Queen of my revelries and rituals, Ariadne."

Instinctively, I stepped forward to stand by my husband's side and promptly bowed in respect as well. Keeping my head facing down, I said aloud, "Great Zeus of the Skies and of the Gods. It is an honour for me to stand before you at this very moment. May your power reign supreme over all."

The feeling of a strong hand gently being placed atop my head soon after. I then heard him say in a baritone voice that had possibly sounded like music of the heavens, "I welcome you to Mount Olympus, Ariadne of Crete. Behold the mountain that will now be your home, for you will drink the sacred ambrosia of the gods and become one of us, and you will hold the honorary title of consort of Dionysus."

When his hand had been released off the top of my hand, I straightened up and gave my best smile to him, pleased to see that he was already smiling right back at me.

Zeus then shifted his gaze back to Semele, who was still staring at him with hints of disturbance and uncertainty. Not making a move to approach her and still remaining where he was, Zeus said to her, "And I too welcome you to your new home on Mount Olympus, Semele of Thebes. You too shall be made a goddess, and be given the honorary title of being the divine mother of Dionysus."

After that, he turned to look behind him and gestured with a firm nod of his head. On cue, a young goddess – who could have looked to be my age, give or take a year or so – with curly golden brown hair and sweet-looking caramel eyes stepped forward away and out of the crowd. In her hands, she held up a silver flat disc which held two golden chalices that seemed to radiate a soft glow in the gentle light.

Holding the disc high above her head, the young goddess bowed to Zeus and held it out to him. Zeus then took the golden chalices in his hands and gave it to Dionysus with a nod of affirmation.

Dionysus nodded back, before turning and gesturing me and Semele to stand close to each other. When we did so, he offered us each of the two golden chalices. Semele took one with thanks and I took the other one in curiosity. Looking inside, I saw that the chalice was filled with some sort of rosy red liquid that had such an aromatic and deliciously sweet scent that made me sigh in unexpected pleasure when I inhaled it in. I swear I could have fainted from the absolutely divinity of the perfume of this drink.

"This is the sacred ambrosia," Zeus explained as he came forward to us. "The drink created out of the essence of the universe only for us gods and goddesses; those who are born with pure divine ichor flowing through their veins. However, the both of you have been granted this rare opportunity for I have decreed that you will be made divine into goddesses. No longer will you be mortal. Soon, you shall be divine powers and eternal life. Soon, the both of you shall be immortal."

The thought of gaining immortality and becoming a goddess infiltrated my mind once again, and I could feel the excitement and anxiety in me growing at the thought that the opportunity was now right in the palm of my hands. To be honest, I have had no hesitations about this decision. I have long left my mortal life behind, and was ready to get another chance to start a new life as a goddess. Furthermore, the fact that I would have both Dionysus and Semele in my new life made the decision even more worthy.

Cradling the golden chalice with both my hands, I gazed at it intently, prepping myself up for the final moment. I knew what would come when the time finally arrived; I would be saying goodbye to the human in me, and bracing myself to be graced into divinity. However, I was not sad, because I know that all the beautiful memories I had as a mortal would still be there in my thoughts for me to cherish.

I cast a quick glance to Semele, who was looking at me with excitement twinkling in her bright hazel eyes. She beamed, as though to tell me through her eyes that she cannot wait for the new life that was waiting ahead of her. I smiled back to her happily, wanting to tell her that I too was feeling the same.

My eyes then shifted to Dionysus, and my loving husband was already gazing at me with an encouraging smile. From the loving and joyful look in his own hazel brown eyes, I knew that he too was exhilarated by the thought that he had been able to come this far, and that Semele and I becoming immortality would ensure that we would always be there with him. I guess that was what he, Semele and I would all want.

The three of us would be together forever on and on after this moment.

And just that thought alone was enough to make me finally bring the chalice to my lips and drink the ambrosia, feeling the powers of the smooth and sweet red liquid course through my entire body.

All of a sudden, my heart started beating once again.

* * *

That fateful day had been an extravagant event with the arrival of two new goddesses; Ariadne, the Goddess of Labyrinths, and Semele (who was also renamed as Thyone, but she insisted on keeping her real name), the Goddess of Dionysiac Frenzies.

The initiation of divinehood for both the consort and the mother of Dionysus respectively had been a grand affair; one that could almost equate to the revelries presided over by Dionysus, although it was far less destructive than a Bacchic frenzy. In the grand hall of the palace, there was delicious food, fine wine and beautiful music all around, in honour of the new addition to the deities.

On that celebration, both Ariadne and Semele – who were both radiatingly beautiful from the golden ichor that now flowed within their veins – danced to their hearts' content, basking in the bright and warm aura of Dionysus' joy. The two who had been mortal and who he had successfully taken back from the Underworld were very well-known among Olympus, and were treated with utmost respect and admiration.

And life continued on after that, but it was different now for Dionysus, for he now had both his wife and his mother to be permanent graces of his life.

Life could not have been more happier for Dionysus since that day.

* * *

Author's Note:

Once again, I am SO very sorry for not keeping to my promise and updating when I had promised! Real life and school are getting on to me, and I can't deny the fact that final year exams are coming and I would have to study super hard in order to graduate!

But alas, we have come to the last chapter! Eveyrone is happy (maybe except Hera) that everything had gone well! Ariadne and Semle are immortal and granted a home in Mount Olympus, and Ariadne and Dionysus are finally reunited for real! :D

But stay tuned for the epilogue which is DEFINITELY coming out tomorrow, and it is tomorrow when I will announce my next big project (which is by far the one I am MOST excited for, although some of you might find it silly!) So I do hope you will come back tomorrow for the final author's note!

See you then!

_Muse of Fanfiction_


	44. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

_***A few years later***_

Tonight was a beautiful spring night. The silver moon was shining and glowing in the vast dark blue sky full of golden and silver stars twinkling brightly like floating diamonds. The luminous light of the moon shone onto the dark and calm wide and open sea, giving it a slight enchanting glow with its waters sparkling as it crashed in small waves onto the white sandy beach of the island of Naxos.

Sitting near where the ocean's waves ended its touch on the sands, just a safe distance away so that only the tip of their toes touched the cool waters, Dionysus and Ariadne were sitting side by side, with his arm wrapped around her frame, holding her close to his body. Both of them were watching the vast calm sea, not saying a word but each having a smile on their lips.

Tonight was a special night for the both of them, for tonight was the anniversary of the night that they had first met on that very spot on that very beach on that very island.

They had just had an honest discussion and deep conversation about the night they had first met on the beach. Even after all this years since their first encounter, they remembered ever single detail clearly and vividly. Not even one little bit was left out; everything had been managed to be recalled in their memories.

After a long while of reminiscing, the both of them fell silent in deep thought. No words needed to be exchanged to know that they were both thinking of the same thing, as it could be clearly seen in their thoughtful expression.

The both of them were thinking about how far that they had come since meeting on that fateful night; a time when Ariadne was still a mortal princess who was so very terrified of being alone and Dionysus was still a free-spirited god who thought that he would never be committed to anyone. How everything had changed completely in ways that the both of them had never knew since then, and all for the better. Yes, there had admittedly been some ups and downs, with conflicts and disputes and quarrels. But in the end, they made it through everything, and would always stay together no matter how difficult times would be.

"Dionysus?" Ariadne suddenly whispered in deep thought, breaking the deep silence that had hung between them for quite a while.

"Yes, love?" he replied, turning his head to look at her. She was not looking at him, and Dionysus could admire how beautiful her side-profile was, especially in the silver luminous glow of Artemis' moon in the starry night sky.

Ariadne took a deep breath, and then asked him, "Why me? Why me above all? Why me instead of others? Why me?"

Ah, this question again. Dionysus had been asked this question many times, but had never gotten irritated from it. This is because each time the question was asked, he would always give a different answer, but it would still be something that would relate the love he had for her. That was partially the reason why Ariadne continuously asked him that question, just so that he could hear what answer he would give each time.

Dionysus smiled and thought of the answer he was about to give to her. And then, silently, he took hold of Ariadne's chin and turned her head to look at him in the eyes. She too smiled, waiting patiently for his reply.

After a while, it came, and in his sweet voice that could mirror the love he felt for her from deep within his heart.

"Because, my dear, when I first saw you…" his smile turned into a big grin and his eyes started twinkling in amusement and utmost love, "I was drunk on love."

Hearing that, Ariadne started to giggle in amusement, finding his reply to be something strange but so very cute. But her giggle was silenced when she saw Dionysus lean his face closer to hers, and she then did the same.

When their lips met, ultimately enrapturing the both of them in a gentle kiss that was sweet with love and passion, the stars faded away into the coming of the rosy dawn, and the silver moon set down as the sun rose high, shining bright and brilliantly gold.

Another day together, with many more to come forever.

* * *

_**The**** End**_

* * *

Final Author's Note:

And thus we come to the end of **_Drunk On Love_**!

My, my, how long has it been? A few months? Feels that long, or maybe even longer! I will admit that this fanfiction had been one of the most tedious I have written, considering the fact that it is my first story to include a mortal as a main character and also offer several different POVs. Furthermore, there had been a noticeably slower amount of views for each chapter as the story progressed, which made me think that all of you were finally bored of it. It was also difficult for me because Dionysus and Ariadne fanfictions are not really that popular anywhere on the internet, so maybe that was why there weren't many who were intrested in this fanfiction.

But luckily, I managed to succeed in the end! Everyone's happy, and everything ends in a happy ever after! :D

But now, dear readers, I am sorry to tell you that I will now be disappearing for about the next month and a half, mainly because I wish to focus more on my exams now instead of on writing. I will still pop in every once in a while to post a one-shot, but forgive me because you wouldn't be seeing another story for quite a long time.

OH! SPEAKING OF NEW STORY!

As you know, I am seriously excited to announce my new project. This has been something that has been going on in my head for quite some time, and I finally decided that after my hiatus would be the best time to publish it. Are you ready for the news?

...

...

...

I will be rewriting _**The**** Reincarnation**_, and will be creating a newer and even more exciting story out of it!

(Do read the announcement on the latest chapter of **_The Reincarnation_ **for more details!)

And so on that piece of news, I give my thanks for all of you who favourited and followed this story, and also reviewed it as well! I thank you greatly for all your support, and I love you guys for being such a good audience!

Sincerely,

_Muse of Fanfiction_


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